Harry Potter and the twin who didn't actually live
by Threstrals101
Summary: Harry Potter is believed to not be the BWL, this time it is his twin. But is that really true? Harry is not loved, neglected, and instead, finds peace with the dark side. But soon Harry discovers that things might be not what they seem to be, with deceit and trickery at every turn. Who can he trust, who is his REAL family? Darkish Harry, Grey Hermione.
1. The start of everything

Far away in the middle of a small forest just outside a town called Godrics Hollow, a young boy about 10 years old crashed into the small clearing that marked the center of the forest. As he flung himself onto the floor, he started to cry, earnestly. Far up in the heavens, a bright light descended into the clearing. The small bright light hovered above a sobbing boy's head. Although he didn't notice it, it seemed to have a calming presence about it, and he slowly stopped crying and took some deep shuddering breaths. Eventually he looked up at the sky, his emerald eyes filled with unshed tears. His hands gripped the grass around him as he sat up and looked around him.

"Must have reached the middle this time" The boy muttered to himself. "I don't know how I'm going to get back though."

A hoot sounded from the forest, and the boy shivered, rubbing his arms, which weren't protected by the old t-shirt he had on. Far away, the sounds of a party could be heard. The boy turned his head towards the source of noise and tears started rolling down his face silently. He wiped his eyes angrily, and stood up.

"They won't be worried about me though. They just care about their precious boy who lived, Mr. Oh so awesome, King Albus. They don't even care enough to give me one small present, one happy birthday. No, instead I have to clean up the kitchen while they give my brother all the attention, and…." He started to cry again, but this time it was angry yells, as the tears came down, and he yelled into the forest,

"THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN NOTICE IF A STOOD IN FRONT OF THEM AND DIED!"

Then, he swiped at his eyes and said to himself "No, don't cry. You'll only make yourself weak. Mum and Dad don't like weakness. Albus wasn't weak when You-Know-Who came to kill us, and he protected me. He stood up to the man, I didn't. I tried to hide. Albus saved me...Albus saved the world…..I am nothing. Albus has a curse scar on his chest, a small gash, the only thing that remained after the Avada Kedavra. I got a cut on my forehead, from a falling piece of wood, I should be happy, I should be dead, I didn't save anyone….."

His small body shuddered with the cold, and his lips turned blue. The small ball of light hovered patiently above him, as if waiting for him to do something. The boy once again looked up at the sky, and whispered;

"I don't want to be here anymore. Everybody loves Albus, even my own parents won't look at me…..I'm just normal Harry Potter, nothing special….even though I know that Albus didn't save us….He was hiding behind me when the bad man came...I REMEMBER IT! Nobody believes me though, because they just say that…..A flash of green light, and then everything was painful….Oh it hurt…." The boy lapsed of into mutterings, and then, shivering lay down onto the ground. A cold wind blew across the clearing, and the boy shivered violently. Then, he whispered tiredly

"I wish that someone would help me…..become what Mum and Dad want me to be…...I wish I could be someone else….I don't know….I wish that they would love me…..like they love Albus. I wish…..I WISH THAT SOMEBODY CARED!" The small ball of light enveloped the boy, and then with a flash disappeared. A small whisper was heard saying "help me.." and then it was boy sat up.

"I'm warm again…..Anyone? Hello?" The boy cried out.

"Must have been an accidental warming charm. I better get back now…..It's getting dark. Humph. Mum and Dad never notice MY accidental magic."

Harry Potter stood up and walked through the forest. Even though it was a dark night, he walked, unafraid, and seemed to relish the fact that it was nighttime. Slowly but surely, the forest grew thinner, and with a deep sigh, Harry stepped out of the forest, and into a large garden, full of people singing "Happy Birthday" to Albus Thomas Potter, the boy who lived. Or so it said, on the huge banner floating magically in the middle of the garden. Harry's eyes grew angry at this, and he stomped past the gaggle of people singing happily to their supposed saviour. Nobody noticed Albus's twin, enter the house, and slam the door. As the people stopped singing their song, there was a burst of sound, as everybody surged forward to congratulate Albus. It was his 11th birthday after all, and 11th birthday's in the the magical household were important ones.

Upstairs in the attic, Harry stomped across the room, and sat down huffily on the bed. The attic was a nice place, and Harry had actually requested to have this room when his parents had announced that Albus should have his own room. Harry looked longingly at the pile of presents he could see outside the window in the garden. Albus was already tearing them open. Harry had received one present, a gift from his godfather Sirius Black, a book on how to defend himself against all sorts of dark creatures. Harry's godfather, Sirius was probably the only person who paid attention to him.

With a sigh, Harry picked up his lone present and began to read. As the night grew darker, Harry slowly fell asleep. Below him, his parents were putting Albus to sleep, looking fondly at him. They sighed, and then turned of the light and retired to the sitting room.

And far away, in a castle that reeked of dark magic, a man named Tom Marvolo Riddle was woken up by a bright ball of light.

"Help me…."


	2. A midnight meeting and a decision

A large snake slithered into the Potter house. Everyone was fast asleep, and the snake could just hear James Potter snoring loudly from the master bedroom. The snake slithered from room, looking for a boy with black hair and green eyes, as her master had told her. Her master had received a vision of a small boy crying, with the name of Harry Potter. The snake had been confused, as her master had barely survived the killing curse sent at him from that boy, but the master had told her to fetch the boy and bring him to the Riddle manor. She had made a portkey out of the snake, so that when the boy touched her, they would be instantly transported back to the manor. The snake thought that her master probably wanted to kill the boy, but when she said so, her master got a weird look on his face, and had denied it quietly. Dismissing these thoughts, the snake hissed in annoyance. The boy was nowhere to be found! She had thought that the boy in the big room on the 2nd floor was the boy, but it turned out he had red hair instead of black. That only left...the attic? The snake slithered up the small staircase that lead to the attic, and there he was...the boy with black hair. The room was small, and the bed looked very uncomfortable. The snake slithered forward, and onto the boy. Then, chuckling the way only a snake can, she reared forward and gave the boy a small nip on the ear, emitting venom. The boy sat up in shock and rubbed his eyes. Then, looked down.

_"Argh! Snake! Mum! Da-"_ Harry stopped and looked down at the snake. His voice had sounded different there. He tried again:

"_Mum? Dad? There's a snake in my room! And it bit me! Sorry please..." _Harry stopped yelling, because his parents probably wouldn't come, his voice still sounded weird, and the snake was looking at him in an amused way, that only snakes can do.

_"Ahhh, so we have a Parseltongue then, do we? Hello young boy. My name is Nagini, and I am the snake of the Dark lord. He wishes to speak to you-" _Nagini broke of at the violent reaction the boy had when she told him her name. He nearly fell out of bed.

_"Nagini? But...but you're HIS snake! The dark lord! That means...You-Know-Who?"_ The boy whispered fearfully.

Nagini shook her head in exasperation. Leave it to the light to make a mockery out of her master. Her master was not to be feared. He might have a dark side, as predicted because after all, he used dark magic, but there was a softer side to him that only his most inner circle would ever know. As the boy would soon find out.

_"I have had enough. I am taking you to meet him. Why, I do not know. Portus" _She hissed, and her body turned blue, and in a flash they were gone.

James and Lily Potter slept on, not knowing that their other son had been taken to meet the most feared Dark Lord of the century.

Harry yelped in fear when he landed onto the soft rug in Riddle manor. He stared all around him. Above him where portraits who either snored or sniffed haughtily at him. Harry scrambled up, and dusted himself off. He looked at Nagini, who obviously was much more comfortable than him. 'She probably had a soft landing' Harry thought.

"Where am I?" He wondered out loud.

"In Riddle manor, Harry Potter. Pleased to meet you. My name is Tom Riddle, or Voldemort."

Harry gasped and turned around. There, in the shadows, stood a dark figure. As the figure came into the light, Harry steeled himself to what Voldemort was going to look like. Horror stories had been told of how he had no nose, and how his blood red eyes would be the last thing you would see before he killed you. But the man that came to light looked nothing at all like the stories had described him as. An ageless face was revealed, with high arching eyebrows and high cheekbones. His eyes where a soft green, not like the piercing emerald that Harry had. He had wavy brown hair, that was styled perfectly.

Voldemort chuckled at Harry's astounded look. "Didn't expect me to look so...What's the word? Nice...handsome...kind? Heard the stories of the red eyes, and no nose? A simple spell gave me those, so that I could walk the streets without being stared at."

Harry made a noise at the back of his throat that sounded like a whimper. Then he shook himself and straightened up. 'Mum and Dad don't like weakness. Mum and Dad don't like weakness'. He thought.

"Are you going to kill me?" He said, boldly looking Voldemort in the eye.

"Ahhh... That. You see, while you might have reflected the killing curse and nearly killed me, and while you might be the son of the most lightest family after the Dumbledores, I don't want to kill you. Whatever Albus Dumbledore has told you, I will tell you one thing. They are not true."

Harry stared at the man in shock. "You...You don't want to kill me? But then why am I here? What do you want? I...If your going to abduct me and hold me for ransom...My parents will come and...and rescue me! And then, and then Mr. Dumbledore will kill you! Yes, and then everything will be ok!" Harry rambled on and on, paying no heed to the sad expression that had crossed Voldemort's face.

"I want to offer you a home."

Harry stopped rambling and looked at Voldemort, nearly falling down in shock.

"But...I...Er...Sorry?"

Voldemort chuckled.

"Do you know Neville Longbottom?"

Harry nodded sadly. Everybody knew Neville Longbottom, who had been kidnapped at the age of 8 by Lord Voldemort. Neville himself had been quite good friends with Harry, and when Harry learned that he was gone, it had caused him great sorrow that his only friend had been kidnapped and was almost 100% dead.

"Well...You might have heard that he..." Voldemort paused and looked at Harry who was glaring at him with his emerald eyes.

"You! How could I forget! You killed my best friend! MY ONLY FRIEND! Give me a wand, lets make this a fair fight. I know some spells! I want to avenge my friend!" Harry said angrily, forgetting that he was talking to one of the most powerful wizards of the century.

Voldemort chuckled "Well, Harry I have a nice surprise for you. You see, when I kidnapped Neville, I didn't do it to kill him. Neville summoned me because he was unhappy. Years ago, when I was young and foolish, I was playing around with some ancient magic, and somehow linked myself to you and Neville. I will explain later, as it is a very long story. I realized that while my path was the correct one..." Harry coughed to cover for the snort that he made.

"Killing muggleborns? Killing muggles? Killing people who disagree with you? TRYING TO KILL INNOCENT 1 YEAR OLDS? I think not." Harry said boldly, not afraid of what Voldemort might do.

Voldemort sighed. "Contrary to the popular belief, I, do not like that. I do not believe in that. My mother was a witch, and my father was a muggle. I, am a half blood." Harry gasped, and then covered it up. 'No weakness' He repeated to himself like a mantra.

"Harry, maybe it is best if I show you..." Voldemort snapped his fingers, and suddenly they were in a large room. There, in the big oak bed, lay Neville Longbottom, who blearily opened his eyes and said "Tom?"

Lily and James Potter were having a lovely day. Their son, Albus Potter was amusing them with his antics, and it was a bright and sunny day. They had not noticed their other son's disappearance, and didn't care at all that they had not seen him all day. So naturally, when he came running across the lawn, dark circles under his eyes, yelling "I'm alright! I'm alright!", they were rather surprised.

"Mum! Dad! Sorry, I...A snake...Voldemort...Neville...is..." He looked at them surprised. "Er, um, did you...notice?"

James looked at his son in irritation. He was just showing Albus how to cast the protego charm with his new wand that they had picked up and Diagon alley that day. Couldn't Harry see they were busy?

"What is it Harry? I thought you were in bed?" James spat out, disgusted at the state of his son. Harry's hair was messy, and he was still wearing his pajamas. Albus on the other hand was looking at Harry, smirking, dressed in a crisp suit.

Harry looked at him incredulously. "But...we were all going to Diagon alley today? I thought you would have noticed! I mean...it was a family outing...wasn't it?"

Lily and James looked uncomfortably at Harry. "Well son, you see, we tacked a note to your door explaining why we went without you. You see, we...we thought that since the press would make it hard...I mean...Well...Nobody really knows who you are kid. Ok? Nobody really cares, either. Albus needs to be the sole focus of attention, to avoid gossip. And besides, WE are the perfect family that you aren't part of. Sorry kid, but to be honest, you aren't really wanted around here.." James paled as he spat out harsh words at his son.

Harry's eyes filled with tears. Then, as they dripped down his face, his emerald green eyes turned completely cold.

"Well. I now see what you truly think of me...Father. Mother? Dare to question his words?" Harry sneered at his "family". They all looked taken aback. Usually Harry was soft spoken and easy to order around. This Harry...well, it wasn't what they liked.

Lily Potter gulped, and looked at her youngest son. "Well, Harry dear, Albus is much more important than you...You have to understand that...well..." Lily looked incredibly uncomfortable. "Harry," She tried again "Harry, dear, I mean,...Well, Albus is so much more better than you! I mean you have to understand why we love him more than you..." Lily blushed as she realized what she had just revealed.

Harry looked at her coldly. "I am sad to say that I belong to the Potter family. I hereby renounce the Potter name and my family. Goodbye." Harry sneered, and took out the portkey that Voldemort had given him. "Hope to never see you all again." And with that Harry James Potter was gone.

James and Lily looked with shock at the spot Harry had been a few seconds ago. Then they both looked at each other, and started to talk rapidly.

"He wouldn't just leave..." "I wonder what he was trying to tell us?" "We'll see him at Hogwarts, won't we?" "I mean...we have to send out a search party James. This is our son..." "We have been rather bad parents haven't we?"

James and Lily stared at the ground ashamed.

"When we find him, we'll make everything right." Lily said, a lone tear rolling down her face. "My Harry...I can't believe we've neglected him after all these years!"

Albus looked at his parents. Harry had just disappeared, and now his parents were talking about him. He wanted the attention.

Albus cleared his throat. "Um, dad, no offence, but I want you guys to stop talking about Harry. I mean, I'm the boy-who-lived, right? So where does he factor in. I mean, " Albus laughed conceitedly "But he's nothing compared to me."

Lily looked at her son in horror. It seemed only now that she was suddenly awakened to the spoilt behavior of her son. "Albus...No. That is very spoilt of you to say. Your brother has just disappeared, and could be in potential danger. You should be worried!" She said fiercely.

Albus looked shocked at his mothers behavior, and looked to his father for support, only to find him nodding in agreement with Lily.

"Lily, prepare a search party. We have to find Harry and make this up to him." James said, and proceded into the house to call everyone they knew.

But, alas, they would not see Harry again for another 5 years.

"Harry. I see you changed your mind about earlier."

Harry, after seeing Neville, had run through the manor. He had spotted a fireplace, with some floo powder, and, as he stepped into the fireplace called out "LIAR! I WILL NEVER EVER LIVE HERE!" He had then disappeared to the Potter manor.

"They don't care for me. I want a home. I..." Harry looked at his feet.

"They didn't care. All they care about is Albus. And they went to Diagon Alley without me! They don't want me to be a part of their family. Albus is better then me." Harry concluded sadly.

"Harry, let me explain to you one thing. You will always have a home here." Voldemort said, looking at the boy.

Harry looked at him. "Sir, before I accept your offer, I need to know your true beliefs. Why do you want world domination? What IS your goal? My mother is a muggleborn, so no matter how much I hate her now, I would never want her dead."

Voldemort sighed, and conjured two comfortable looking chairs. He beckoned for Harry to sit down, and then with a deep breath, launched into his story.

"When I was 16 years old, I found out that my father had abandoned my mother. In a fit of rage, I went to his house, the one you are sitting in right now, and killed him. You must understand that while doing this, I was hotheaded and had known nothing but hate all my life. I then proceeded to change my name to Voldemort. I became a sort of sadist, killing people for fun. It was not one of my better times. Anyway, when I was 35 years old, I sought a way to make myself immortal. I wanted to link myself to younger people, who would eventually give their life sources, and magical cores to me. They would on their 5th birthday give me their life expectancy. A life expectancy in the wizarding world is final. Unless you get killed or find a way to prolong your life, you will die at that age. I checked the life expectancy of all possible children. I narrowed it dow to two boys, you, and Neville."

Harry's eyes widened. "But why us sir? I mean, we were only babies at the time. You couldn't possible have known our magical potential or something."

Voldemort smiled "Yes, well the thing is, is that I would still keep my magical core. If anything, it would just make me more powerful. Anyway, while doing the ceremony, and calling your spirits to me, I summoned an ancient magic that wasn't part of the ceremony, by mistake. I carried on, unaware that this ancient other magic was interfering with the actual ceremony, and by the time I had finished, it was to late. Instead of linking your life span to me, I linked your souls. We are in other words, a family. I am the head, and you and Neville are my...sons in other words."

Harry gaped at him. "No way? What? But Lily and James are my parents? Why did you try to kill me? I don't get it!"

"Well, you see, I was so angry when I realised that I would now feel emotions over you two boys. Previously, I had ensured that I wouldn't care, love or have mercy for anyone. I dabbled to far into the dark arts, and had forsaken anything human in me. But that ritual brought it back. You and Neville became important to me. However, then the prophecy came into play."

Harry nodded. His entire family knew about the prophecy, and how Albus would be the one to save them all.

"Well, I thought that since you had a brother, I would kill him, instead of you or Neville. That way I would not provoke any emotions or regret in killing you or Neville. I could not afford to be weak, I told myself. But when I went to your house, and tried to kill your brother, a strange thing happened. As a shot a killing curse at your brother, you stepped in front of him, and rebounded the curse. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps your sacrifice of love. I don't know. Anyway, the killing curse rebounded, and I escaped, within an inch of my life."

"But sir, where does offering me a home come into play with this?"

"Well, a few years ago, a small snake came slithering to me, saying it had encountered a boy in the woods. I was intrigued, as the woods surrounding my house are very far away from any nearby towns, and are notorious for the dark magic that resides there. Anyway, the boy turned out to be Neville, who was running away from his home. I took him here, and offered him a home. And now, a few years later, I was woken up by that same ancient magic that alerted me that you were incredibly unhappy. So, here I am, offering you a home."

Harry wasn't convinced. "You have managed to avoid the subject of the war, sir. But what do you want?"

"Well, yes, I still am quite interested in world domination. I will start with Britain, and then slowly conquer other countries. That has not changed. But the thing is, I hate muggles. They are not going to benefit us in any way. I do not want to conquer them, I am merely interested in keeping our race in the dark, so that muggles do not try to harm us. And, I am offering you another thing. Become my heir, along with Neville. And..." Here Voldemort did something that Harry didn't think was possible for a Dark Lord. He blushed embarrassed with what he was about to say. "And if you want, Neville has been begging me to take an adoption potion. It will change your looks, but it will also make you legally my son...well actually illegally as this potion is very dangerous. If you are willing to try it though?"

Harry looked at Voldemort, and then, he thought of his family. He could have one here, a better one. And one day, he could have revenge on his family who had wronged him, made him so unhappy all these years. He looked at Voldemort and said very firmly,

"Yes."

Chapter 3 coming soon! Hope you all enjoyed! Please review and comment below, and thank you to all of those who have liked this story!


	3. New family, new home, new blood

"Hey…."

Those were Neville's first words to Harry

"Long time no see!" Said Harry sarcastically. "Why didn't you tell me where you went! I was completely miserable after you left. You do realize that you were my only friend?"

Neville raised his hands sheepishly. "Well, I was insecure. I thought you might try to stop me. Tom told me to wait and see…." Upon seeing Harry's confused expression he said, "His real name isn't just Voldemort you know, it's Tom Marvolo Riddle. He said I could call him that."

"Oh." Was Harry's unimpressed reply.

"Well, Tom said to wait and see if you ran away. And when you didn't, I assumed that maybe family life had gotten better for you. So…..yeah."

Harry looked at his old friend and grinned. "Well, I'm going to get you back for that. You know, your parents weren't that devastated when you left…..You never told me that you had problems! There was I, rambling on and on about Albus, and James and Lily, and you never said a word!"

Neville laughed "Yeah, well my parents didn't ignore me, I just didn't feel loved. They were just too absorbed with work to notice me really."

"Oh….well, so….How's life?" Harry asked awkwardly "Are you like the Dark Heir or something?"

Neville shook his head. "Tom planned on revealing that I would be the Dark Heir on my 11th birthday, but then you came a long and that was postponed. So now, we are going to be Dark Heirs together! Once you learn everything that is."

"But what about Hogwarts? I just got my letter and everything!" Harry said

"Er, well sorry mate, but I don't think that that's going to happen now. Your disappearance is all over the newspapers! Your parents actually come across as concerned."

Harry snorted. "Yeah right, they just are afraid for Albus. Oh no, Harry's been kidnapped, it's going to be Albus next. Voldemort is going to kill him and then come back for the more important twin. Kill everyone that might sacrifice their lives for him, that might protect him. Then attack Albus. Oh no!"

Neville grinned. "Well, mate, the ceremonies in an hour. How about some dueling? I'm sure you got plenty of practice with Albus in the house."

Upon hearing this, Harry's face darkened. "No, I was never allowed. I…..I don't even have my own wand yet."

Neville looked at Harry shocked "But, Hogwarts starts tomorrow, didn't your parents take you?"

Harry snarled "No. They left me at home because they didn't want me to be part of the family or something like that."

Neville shook his head angrily "We'll get you a wand Harry. In the mean time, you can use this training wand. Do you know a few simple spells? Tom said that he would only start teaching me dark spells once I was 11. So you're right on time! We can get our education together. Tom's getting all of his inner circle death eaters to teach us one subject. Basically it'll be like Hogwarts, but much more advanced and quicker, because it's only us two. "

Harry grinned mischieviously "Well, why don't we try with the wand. I know a few spells and stuff from an old book in Da-, I mean James's library." He looked uncomfortable with the slip up.

Neville smirked and said "Ha. It's gonna take more than a _few spells _to best me!" He scoffed.

Harry grinned internally. Neville didn't know one thing. Harry had been practicing wandless magic for more than a few years, and was quite accomplished.

This was going to be an interesting duel.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Harry! You traitor! Why didn't you tell me you were so good? Ow….My left buttock really hurts….." Neville groaned as they stepped out of the duelling hall.

"_Harry…..I see you have become reaquainted with Neville. Massster hassss sssent me to fetch you for the ceremony. Follow me pleassse." _Nagini had slithered up to them as they walked down the corridor.

"Como'n Nev, Tom's told us to follow Nagini."

Neville looked shocked "You can speak parseltongue?"

"Yeah."

"_Hurry up! The ceremony must be performed exactly at the stroke of midnight" _Nagini hissed, annoyed that the boys were dawdling

Harry looked ahead of them. There stood two ancient looking doors, with symbols and runes carved into them. Nagini hissed at them, and one of the runes turned blue. Then, as if spreading a disease, the other runes and symbols turned blue as well, and the doors opened. Nagini beckoned with her head, and Neville and Harry stepped into the large room. There Tom stood, next to a bubbling cauldron, and with a pure silver knife in his hand.

"Enter, Harry James Potter, and Neville Samuel Longbottom."

The ceremony proceeded with Voldemort muttering a lot of (in Harry's opinion) nonsense and then requesting Harry and Neville's blood. Hesitantly, Neville and Harry cut their palms with the silver knife. Voldemort did the same, and all of them at the same time squeezed their blood into the cauldron.

Pain.

Everything went black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Harry woke up, his face felt different. He touched his face, and to his surprise, his fingers were longer and more pale. Harry jumped out of his wide comfortable bed and searched for a mirror. Finally when he found one, he gasped in shock.

He looked different.

Very different.

Actually no, he didn't change that much, but still.

Harry's face had become more refined. Instead of the usual Potter face, which was a more rounder face, his face had become more oval shaped. His cheekbones were much higher, and gave him a more aristocratic look, along with his more pointed eyebrows. His once tanned face was very pale, and he was tall, taller than he had ever been. He had a lithe figure, and when he moved, it was not with the clumsiness that he had once possessed, but more with the elegance of a panther. His hair was much longer, and although it was black, hung in little ringlets just below his ears. Harry shook his face to see if his lightningbolt scar was there.

Yes the blasted thing was still there. The only thing that had not changed about Harry were his eyes, the eyes that his once mother Lily possesed. His nose, was also still the same, the same nose that James had. Harry scowled. He wanted nothing to do with his old life. The eyes and the nose were just reminders, however small. The eyes in particular.

_Flashback:_

_Lily looked at Albus with adoring attention. He was 6 years old, and had just defeated Voldemort. What a brave young boy. _

_Lily's attention shifted to the small boy who was standing just outside of their little group. James, Lily and Albus were all on the couch, watching a muggle show, made especially for little children. Albus loved it, so, Lily and James did to. _

"_Harry! Why don't you join us? Sit on the floor, just don't look like you're uncomfortable being around us!" Lily laughed. She didn't like the expression of loneliness on Harry's face, and realized uncomfortably how much he had grown, and how she hadn't realized it until now. 'He needs new clothing' she noted. She made up her mind the first time she had free to get Harry some new clothing. _

_Harry flinched. It was the first time that he had been addressed directly in months. Ever since Albus had supposedly vanquished the Dark Lord at the age of 4, his parents had started ignoring Harry more and more. _

_Albus scowled at the attention being shifted away from him for one second. "Mum, Dad, what are genetics?" He asked, hearing the word on the T.V. _

_James grinned. "What a smart little boy! Such curiosity as well. The markings of a true Gryffindor." _

_Harry rolled his eyes inwardly. If he remembered correctly those were the markings of a Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor. And Albus didn't really want to know what the word was, he just wanted the attention on him. So he posed a question that his parents would have to answer, and pay attention to him. VERY slytherin of him, especially for a 6 year old. _

"_Basically genetics are something that are passed down from Mommy and me. Like, you have Mommy's red hair, and have my brown eyes." James said, taking on a teacher role. _

_Harry perked up. James seemed proud that Albus had inherited his eyes. Maybe if he asked him what he had inherited, than he would be proud of him too. _

"_Er….Dad? What did I inherit?" Harry asked, shyly. _

_James turned around and smiled at his son. "Harry! Didn't even notice that you were there! Well…..let's see. Um…You look a lot like me. My black hair and face figure, nose eyebrows…..gosh you haven't inherited anything from Lily!" _

_Lily chuckled "Actually you self-absorbed prat, he HAS inherited something. My green eyes." _

_Harry flushed, happy that both of his parents were talking about him. _

_Albus, noticing the attention was off him, tried again. "But Mommy, what about our talents?" _

_Lily nodded "Well, there is a debate on whether or not traits can be passed down. I believe that they can." _

"_Where did I inherit my talent for defeating dark lords?" Came Albus's blunt reply. _

_Both James and Lily grinned "Honey, that isn't something that you inherited. You just are really strong and powerful with magic. You probably inherited it from Godric Gryffindor, who was our direct descendant." James finished, proudly._

_Albus wasn't satisfied "But what did I inherit from Mommy and you?" _

"_Hmmm...well you have an aptitude for Care of magical creatures….Probably me! Also my flying skills and my awesomeness at pranking." James said. _

"_What about me Dad?" Harry asked excitedly. _

_Albus sneered at him. "Harry hasn't inherited anything. He's just a stupid ordinary wizard. He doesn't even look like Mommy or Daddy." _

_Lily frowned. She didn't like the tone of her son's voice. _

_Harry felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Mommy! Daddy! That's not true…..right? I mean….I have magical powers! And I look like you as well! Mommy and Daddy just said that Albus!" _

_Lily and James looked uncomfortable. They hadn't actually paid attention to Harry's lessons that he had been getting. _

"_Daddy?" Harry implored _

_With a sigh James turned around to face Harry. "Harry….You haven't really got a lot of magical talent. Albus is much more talented than you. You shouldn't try to ask if you are at the same level that he is. Albus is not your equal in any shape or form. He is the boy-who-lived. You are not." _

_Harry looked at his mother. _

"_But Mommy, I've got your eyes! You said so!" _

_Albus pouted. "Mommy doesn't have your eyes, and you haven't got hers. You are really ugly compared to me…..Mommy Harry's being mean send him away." _

_Lily groaned. "Harry, go and make yourself useful somewhere else. You are just causing disruption here." _

_Harry faced her "Mommy, just say I have your eyes." _

"_Harry…" _

"_Please!" _

"_You have my eyes. Now, stop whining. I am ashamed to think that my son is acting like this." _

_Harry turned away and walked to the kitchen. But just before he entered he heard James say,_

"_To be honest, it's a bit embarrassing to have him as our son. Not much special is he? Only striking thing about him is his eyes, and those just make him look like an overgrown gnome. Gosh Lily, it's a pity that your amazing eyes were wasted on...Harry. "_

_As he heard Albus, Lily and James laughing at his expense, Harry's eyes welled up with tears. _

"_They aren't your eyes Mum. Their mine." _

_End Flashback _

Harry shook himself and went to go see Neville.

"Woah...Neville!" Harry exclaimed as he walked through the door.

Neville had changed even more than Harry had. Gone was the baby fat that had once rounded his face. Instead, he had the same high eyebrows and cheekbones that Harry had, and his hair was a chestnut color, that was one big wave on the top of his head. Actually scratch that. Neville had serious bed head.

Harry couldn't see one significant noticable thing in Neville that he had possessed before the change. Even his once brown eyes had turned into a deep blue-grey, that gave him a truly aristocratic look. The only thing that Neville had retained from his old days were his enormous ears and solid build. Also, the long scar that ran up his arm that Neville had had from when he was younger was still there. Neville had never told him how he had got it.

Neville grinned "Tom's expecting us in the main hall. He wants us to meet some more people…..and he said that if we wanted to we could change our names. After all…..well the potion won't change our parents or heritage, but Tom is our legal guardian now. We are his heirs, even in blood now. But if someone performs a birth charm on us, we will be reverted back to our old appearances…..And our old blood. And then our parents can take custody of us, etc, etc. But they don't want us back, so we're good."

Harry looked at him "I know Nev, Tom told me too."

Neville chuckled. "Right, forgot for a second there. Anyway, I was thinking of changing my name to Finn, but I don't know. I've kind of gotten attached to Neville…"

The boys walked of talking about the new possibilities that were being presented to them.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The inner circle of Death Eaters were bowing towards their master, their eyes downcast, visibly flinching as they felt Voldemort's eyes sweep over them.

Although visibly cruel, he did not torture them as much as Harry had expected. He had thought that while Tom might seem kind to them, his more dominating side would be revealed at the meeting. While he did crucio numerous Death Eaters, he showed some compassion when they started to sob.

Neville and Harry were hidden in a small room just outside the Great hall. Tom had explained to them before hand that he would announce them as his Heirs, and they would begin their training as soon as possible. Tom suspected a traitor in their midst, so it wouldn't be long before Dumbledore would mount an attack to get rid of them. Dark heirs were a threat, as they would be a legacy, and the war wouldn't just end if Dumbledore managed to kill of Tom. He would then have to contend with two rising Dark Lords who would finish the war.

"My loyal followers….I have something to announce. I have chosen heirs." Tom announced, his eyes raking over the men.

All the Death Eaters stood up a bit taller. It was obvious that they didn't know that the Heirs would be some people that they had never met before. They expected it to be one of them, or their sons.

Nott, who could obviously barely contain his excitement asked "My lord, which one of us is blessed with that honor?"

Voldemort narrowed his eyes. Nott gulped and stammered "Forgive me, I did not mean to assume anything...AHHHH" His sentence was cut off abruptly as he was hit by Voldemort's whispered crucio.

After Nott was done, Voldemort turned his gaze to the doors, where Harry and Neville were barely visible, peeking out. They shut the door and heard "And now, I present to you, Hadrian Riddle, and Neville Riddle!"

Harry and Neville walked proudly to their mentor and guide. They knelt before him, and then he lifted his wand. Tom said that they had needed a mark, a different mark than the one that the death eaters had, but one that would mark them as his heir. Harry gritted his teeth as the wand branded his new tattoo on. Neville let out a small grunt, and both looked down at their marks, as they were different. Harry had a type of symbol, a triangle, then a stick, and then a circle. He recognized it as the deathly hallows sign. Neville had gotten a more detailed one, a curling type of smoke around a wand, laid sideways. Harry grinned up at Voldemort, and thought, 'Potters beware. I will get my revenge.'

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Far away in the Potter manor, Lily and James Potter leaned on each other, sobbing heavily. Their son's supposed corpse had just been found, badly burnt with the words carved into it's chest. They had no idea what it meant, but either way, they were sorry they hadn't been able to say goodbye.

The message said:

**YOU WILL SUFFER AS I HAVE SUFFERED. **

END OF CHAPTER 3.

I will try and get chapter 4 up within the week, but I'm not sure, cause of school and stuff.

Sneak peek for next chapter: More into Harry's old life, and Voldemort might not be who he says he is…..


	4. Turmoil

_I do not own any part of the Harry Potter franchise. _

_Flashback: _

"_Lily! It's him! RUN! TAKE HARRY AND ALBUS! I'll try to hold him off!" James yelled. He then set himself in front of the door with a determined look on his face. He was going to hold of this monster if it was the last thing he did. _

_The door creaked open, and Tom Riddle, or Voldemort entered. He raised his eyebrows at James's fighting stance. _

"_James Potter. It doesn't have to go like this. I will let you live, if you let me pass. I do not want to harm you. " _

_James sneered. "Harm me? You will harm me if you kill one of my sons, you cold hearted bastard!" _

_Voldemort sighed. "Very well. __**STUPEFY!**_" _James Potter fell to the ground, as Voldemort's spell got through his hastily constructed shield. _

_Voldemort walked up the stairs calmly. He would kill the boy if it was the last damn thing he would do. He could hear Lily desperately trying to get out of the house. 'Stupid women'. Voldemort thought. 'My death eaters are intelligent enough to block every way of leaving.' _

_Voldemort entered the nursery. Lily held both boys in her arms, whispering to them. She kissed them both on the head, dropped them in one crib, and turned around to face Voldemort. _

"_Stand aside, Lily Potter. I will only kill one. You will have the other." Lily looked at him defiantly. _

"_Never. You harm my sons, and I swear, I will rip every piece of your soul to shreds." _

"_I am getting bored of you. __**Stupefy.**_" _Voldemort said, in a bored tone. He then walked over to the crib. _

_Two little boys sat there, holding one another. Voldemort noted how the black haired, green eyed one stood in front of the other one. Well….that was a nuisance. He was the one that...never mind his thoughts weren't safe here. _

_Voldemort picked up both boys and set them on the floor. Then he placed...what was the boys name? Oh yes, Harry to the side, who got up on his legs to try and reach the other one….Albus._

"_Albus! Albus!" Cried Harry, as if sensing what Voldemort was about to do. _

'_No use in wasting time.' Voldemort thought. _

"_**Avada Kedavra!" **__Voldemort cried….and then gasped. Harry had somehow run on his weak legs to Albus, and jumped in front of the green spell. It hit him and…..a blue light surrounded him and the spell bounced of it…..right back at Voldemort. He spun avoiding the green light by just millimeters. He was about to cast the spell again when he heard voices outside. 'Dumbledore.' Voldemort thought grimly. _

_Without a word, he ran towards the window and smashed it. He jumped out, ran outside the apparition wards, and disapparated. _

_Harry had a thin slit on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt. He didn't notice it though, and was hugging Albus, who was crying after being caught by a shower of glass. He had a cut on his arm, that was bleeding profusely, as the windows were quite thick. _

_Lily stirred. "Albus! Harry!" _

"_Mama, Albus is hurt. Bad man come, green light and BOOOF!" Harry waved his chubby little arms in the air. _

"_Harry, Albus are you all….Oh my Albus!" Lily said catching sight of his arm. Although Harry didn't know it then, it would be a long time before Lily would say his name again with concern. _

_As Lily fussed over the two twins, Dumbledore entered the room. He surveyed the wreckage, and saw that Harry was ok and toddling around the room, where as Albus was crying. He could sense a lot of dark magic, and it was right next to Albus. Little did he know that that exact spot was where Harry had just sat. Dumbledore frowned. Albus should have dark magic around him if he had repelled such a dark curse. Then he smiled. 'Albus must be so powerful that he is leaking dark magic into the room.' _

_Dumbledore straightened up and then he went to Lily and whispered something. Her eyes widened, and they both hurried out of the room, with Albus in Lily's arms. Harry was left in the room to his own devices. He tried to follow them, only to cut his foot on one of the leftover pieces of glasses. _

"_Owwww….Mommy! Ow! My foot! Mama!" Harry begun to wail, as it was a deep cut. From outside his house, he could hear Dumbledore announcing: _

"_And I give to you, ladies and gentleman, Albus Thomas Potter, the chosen one, who is the only human being in history to have survived the killing curse! I give you, the boy-who-lived!" _

_There were many people crowded around the Potters house, and their shouts and cheers drowned out any other noise. Including the cries of a young forgotten boy, crying for his parents, who were gushing over his twin brother outside. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Harry….Concentrate!" Tom Riddle snapped at Harry after a particularly tiring Occlumency lesson. Harry just couldn't get the hang of it.

"Sorry, Dad. I just can't seem to block out those memories!" Voldemort had given Harry and Neville the permission to call him Dad after the blood ceremony. It had become obvious that Neville had been wanting to call him that for a while, as he had lived with Voldemort for about 2 years now.

"Those….memories. Where it was your 6th birthday and your parents...ignored you? Why didn't you run away like Neville did? I mean…..you didn't even run away by your 11th birthday. It was only after I offered you a home that you decided to run away." Voldemort asked hesitantly.

"I….I suppose I kept on remembering what it used to be like. I kept on thinking to myself that things would get better. Every time Mum...I mean Lily and James would pay attention to me, I would be so happy. It would….be like Christmas, my birthday and every happy moment in my life wrapped into one little moment. Then I would convince myself that they still loved me. But that day….the day I ran away….everything just snapped. I just...couldn't take it anymore." Harry shrugged helplessly.

Just then, Neville burst into the room, waving a copy of the daily prophet triumphantly. "It worked! It worked!" He shouted, gleefully.

Harry and Voldemort went to Neville's side and read the newspaper.

**Brother of Boy-Who-Lived found dead! **

_In the early morning of August 2nd, Harry James Potter, brother of the boy-who lived, was found dead. His body was identified by his parents, who recognized the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. The body was badly burned, and an anonymous source says that there was some type of inscription on the corpse's chest. Lily and James Potter were not available to comment, but Albus Dumbledore released this comment saying _

"_It is very tragic that young Harry was killed. As we all know, Harry was Albus's twin, and they were very fond of each other. Voldemort probably tried to kidnap Albus, but poor Harry was caught in the cross-fire. This was also an attempt to injure Albus mentally. Please keep in mind that if you see any sign of suspicious activity around any important places to report it to the ministry straight away." _

_Harry James Potter was a sweet, shy young boy, who loved to play Quidditch, according to his godfather, Sirius Black. He would have turned out to be a fine young wizard, only second to his brother Albus. May he rest in peace. _

_Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet special correspondent. _

Harry turned away. For a few moments he was silent and then he said, "Uncle Padfoot was always the nicest. He gave me birthday presents and gave me Quidditch lessons. He treated Albus and I like equals. No favoritism at all."

Voldemort put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's all right Harry. You've got us now. And when we win this war, we can kill those Potters and Albus Dumbledore. You will have the honor of doing what you wish with them." He snarled. "I want the old man though. He made my life miserable enough, all those years ago."

Harry looked up, a strange look on his face. "I thought….I thought you weren't that interested in killing...more keeping the peace. I don't think that harming people is the right way forward, Dad."

There was a flicker of something in Voldemort's eyes. Annoyance? Anger? Was it….fear? 'No, why would he be afraid of me. I just find it's odd that he wants to kill my family….and the way he said it….'

Harry turned and walked out the door. "Com'n Nev, let's go and play Quidditch. See you later Dad." Harry and Neville walked out the door.

Once Voldemort was sure that they had gone, his face turned angry. "Foolish boy. Questioning my motives. I will make sure to exact my revenge on the light side."

He turned towards the window. "A good thing that he is on our side. He seems like a powerful boy."

END OF CHAPTER 4!

Sorry this one isn't as exciting. The next one will be, because it will be around 4 years later or so. And Voldemort's true intentions will become clearer….

Thank you to all that have followed and reviewed!


	5. What is the truth?

Chapter 5:

6 years later.

A dark figure crept through the open window. There slept an older man, with white hair, and a curled goatee. He was clutching his left arm unconsciously, even in his sleep. The figure removed his hood and revealed black, shaggy hair, and bright green eyes. He took out his wand.

As he levelled it at the man, he called out softly, "Karkaroff…." The older man woke with a start.

"Nooo…." He moaned. "Of course I have to get the dangerous one."

The assassin narrowed his eyes. "Are you calling my brother weak?"

The man nearly fell out of his bed, in his hurry to get up. Karkaroff knelt at the assassins feet, bowing on the floor. "I did not mean it that way...I was simply praising you."

The assassin looked disgusted at Karkaroff's grovelling. "I do not care for what you have to say. You know what is about to happen. You betrayed our cause to the light side, for a hiding place and no Azkaban. You must pay for your betrayal."

Karkaroff looked up at the assassin. "Harry…." He tried.

The assassin kicked him in the stomach. "You have no right to call me that. You gave up that right when you betrayed me, and my father. I trusted you. You were one of my favorite teachers. I suppose you told them my identity as well?" The assassin sneered.

Karkaroff shook his head. "You know that we are bound by the unbreakable oath to not tell who you and Neville are. All they know is that the Dark lord has two heirs."

The assassin fell silent. "Karkaroff...Any final words?"

Karkaroff looked sadly at the assassin. "You used to be such a bright boy….Happy…What happened? I hope you know that….that your parents miss you beyond belief." At this the assassin snarled, and turned away. He kicked the wall, and made a hole in it.

Karkaroff continued. "Don't you realise what the dark lord has done to you? He has corrupted you and Neville. That was his plan all along I suppose…." He shook his head, and looked up at the assassin remorsefully. "Harry, I am honored to have been your teacher. I changed to the light side because I realised the Dark Lords true intentions. Just remember this, he is not what he says he is. Now do your worst."

The assassin looked at the man in silence. "I will spare you the pain I had originally planned out. You were a good teacher and friend. **Avada Kedavra**." A green light filled the dark room, and when it was dark once more, the man lay slumped on the floor.

Harry Potter looked once more at the dead body, his eyes full of sadness. "Please forgive me. I am merely doing my fathers word."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Harry! HARRY! Wake up!" Neville yelled, jumping up and down on Harry's king sized bed. He was in Harry's room, trying to wake him up. When Harry was asleep, a hurricane could go on, and he wouldn't wake up.

"Uhhh? Mun...moo…" Harry mumbled, hiding his head under the pillows.

"Harry! It's your birthday! You're 17!" Neville yelled in his ear.

"Don't...care….wanna sleep….Nev….leave."

Neville thought for a while, before an evil grin crept onto his face. "Ok, Harry have it your way."

Neville crept into Harry's bathroom, and returned, carrying a large basin of water. He then promptly poured it over Harry.

"WAAHHH!" Harry spluttered. He then grabbed for his wand blindly, and pointed it at the bed. It was instantly dry, and Harry lay down to sleep again, snuggling into the soft blankets.

Neville sighed. "Well this might get you interested. Father has a new assignment for you. Said this one was for stealth, killing, you know, the usual. No talking."

Harry jumped out of bed immediately. "Where?"

Neville shrugged. "He says he wants you to lead the attack on Hogsmeade. I have to accompany you, but I already had my turn with Aldroch."

Aldroch was a central wizarding town just outside of Wales. Voldemort had tried to make peace with that village and tried to get them to join his cause, but they hadn't agreed. So, he sent Neville over with a large force. Neville was pretty good at diplomacy, and could pursued people to do almost anything. In the end, Aldroch had agreed to support them, after a vote by the majority of the citizens. The light side had tried to get them back, but each time Aldroch would show a bit of hesitancy in sending over new recruits, Neville would be sent over again, and charm their doubts away.

Harry got an excited gleam in his eyes. "Really? Ok, I need you to send Bellatrix to me. I have to get her to…." Harry proceeded to order the rest of the household around in preparation for the attack. Finally, he returned to his quarters to get dressed.

First, it was his dragonskin boots. They were very rare, as they had been made out of the hide of a Hungarian Horntail, whose hides could almost bounce of any jinx. They were Harry's favorite part of his fighting gear. Next was a black t-shirt that was light and regulated the person's body temperature. The same with his black trousers. Then was his cape, which was fastened by a pure gold clasp. Harry looked at himself in the mirror. For 15, he was very tall, and moved with the gracefulness of a tiger. His hair, still a slightly bit curly hung over his eyes. However inconvenient it was to have to flick his hair out of his face, he did it so that he could cover up that stupid scar. His green eyes still glowed as brightly as ever.

Harry reached into a small box on the side of his table. Inside was a silver mask, with ornate carvings in it. It was very thin, and was goblin-made. The mask did not affect Harry's vision in any way, it just covered his face. Besides the blood potion, Harry still looked very much like himself. He had often asked Voldemort why the blood potion had not worked as well on him as it had on Neville, but that question was never answered.

The only part visible through the mask were his green eyes. During assignments, they glowed bright and cold, as if they could see through the person's very soul. But back at home, when he was with his family, his eyes were like spring; Happy, full of life, and no hint of sadness or regret.

There was a knock on his door. "Come in." Harry called. His voice had deepened a lot, but it still held that slight element of mischievousness.

Bellatrix entered. She had become like a mother to Harry in these past years. "Harry, your father wants to see you just before you leave. He has a present for you."

Harry ran his fingers through his curly hair. "Urgh…Forgot that it is my 15 birthday. Er….well...the raid doesn't start for another hour….can you just please tell him to wait 30 minutes? Um….there's something I have to do."

Bellatrix smirked. "What, to powder your nose? All right Sleeping Beauty, I'll tell him." She bowed her way out of the door, laughing.

Harry smirked, and just as she was out of the door, muttered a spell. The door banged shut, and you could hear, "Ouch! That was my nose you evil child!"

Harry chuckled, and then made his way over to his window. Out of his pocket, he took a miniaturized version of a firebolt. Muttering a spell, he enlarged it, and then jumping out of the window, he zoomed off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione Granger waited nervously in the small woods, just beside her house. She was shivering. All of a sudden, a playful voice sounded in her ear.

"Forgot to pack an extra layer Mione?" Hermione spun around and was met with the sight of a young man, with sparkling green eyes and curly black hair.

"Harry!" She threw her arms over him. He grinned and hugged her back.

"You idiot! You know how much I've missed you?" Hermione said, grinning. "I waited every day at 4 o'clock in this woods."

"Sorry Mione. Things have gotten busy at my place. Now, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "I've been thinking about your….offer. You know, the one where you said that I should join you...on the dark side….." She looked nervous.

Harry grinned. "And? Dumbledore's a lying old coot. My parents are despicable. I can guarantee that my father does not want to harm you. What better offer could you get?"

Hermione watched him concerned. "Look, Harry when I met you 3 years ago, in the forbidden forest, you were a completely different person. You comforted me about not having any friends. You ARE my friend. Well...more then a friend." She said, blushing.

Harry chuckled and hugged her. "I missed you, Mione. Nev and Dad can be a bore some times. Strategy...training...etc etc. But you….you understand me. Anyway, your answer is….?"

Hermione shook her head. Inside she knew her answer. She would go wherever Harry would go. She loved him more then anything. Although she might question what side he was on, she would support him. That didn't mean that she would go completely dark….more she would try to get him to see what the light side was for. Harry had changed so much. Not that she was put off by the change. He had just become more immersed in the hate he had for his family.

"Harry….I want to go with you. I just don't want any part of the killing, torturing, raids, strategy….I just want to be by your side."

Harry smiled widely. "Well then Mione, what are you waiting for! Jump on the broom, o' girlfriend of mine." Harry said, motioning to the broom. "Oh and before I forget, will you marry me?"

The question just popped out of nowhere. Harry's grin faltered. "Er….Um….That was not meant to happen...I've just been thinking about it and it just popped out! I understand, I mean we're only 17, way to young, um, so… Mmph!" Harry's rambeling was cut of by a kiss from Hermione.

She grinned at him and said "Hadrian Riddle, do you know how long I've been waiting for that! You already hinted it so many times! I thought I would have to propose myself. But anyway, no marriage till after the war is over."

Harry beamed. "I didn't think you'd actually say yes! YES! YES! I'm going to get married…..in like 5 years but still! I'M MARRYING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL INTELLIGENT GIRL IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!" He crowed, jumping up and down like a little kid.

Suddenly his expression became serious. "Look, Mione, I don't know how my father will react to this. Also, I have a raid and…." He looked at his watch and cursed. "Shoot! It's been 45 minutes! Dad's going to kill me!" He swung himself onto the broom, and helped Hermione on. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

"Go slow please. You know I hate heights." She said.

Harry smiled mischieviously. "Sorry Mione, no such thing as going slow when you're late for a meeting with the Dark Lord." With that, he zoomed off into the sky.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry jumped of his broom and ran into the great hall, Hermione just behind him. He opened the door and said, "Father, allow me to present to you, Hermione Jean Granger, my fiancee."

Neville and Voldemort who were standing nearby, stopped mid conversation and gaped at Harry. Hermione nervously sidled in and whispered fiercely, "Way to go Harry. If I get crucioed, this is ALL YOUR FAULT."

Voldemort was the first to recover. He strode over to Hermione and held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Hermione. My name is Tom Riddle. You probably know me as Lord Voldemort."

Hermione stared at the hand in shock. Then, tentatively she reached out and shook it. A nervous smile blossomed on her face. "I'm Hermione."

Voldemort chuckled. "Yes, my son announced that very clearly a few seconds ago. Now, Harry when were you going to tell us about this?"

Harry then launched into the story about how he and Hermione had met. They had met 6 years ago, as Harry had been scouting the perimeter of Hogwarts. She had been just outside the boundaries, crying her eyes out. When he asked her what was wrong, she had jumped back, wand in hand.

"_Who are you! I….I know spells. I will fight!"_ She then proceeded to throw a few spells at him, which he promptly dodged.

"_I am Hadrian Riddle. Pleased to make your acquaintance."_ And from there, their friendship had progressed. They had always met up, every week, for an hour, Hogwarts or no Hogwarts. They had become so close, that when Harry had finally told her who he was, she hadn't even flinched.

"_So let me get this straight. You were Harry James Potter, the missing twin, but now your the Dark Lord's son?" _

And it had all led up to this day.

Neville studied her closely. "Who is your allegiance to?"

Hermione's simple answer was, "Harry."

Voldemort and Neville looked at her in shock. "Not to the light side?"

"I don't know their true intentions. I don't know yours. I will stay with Harry wherever he goes, but I won't harm any side, whatever he is on, until I am sure what they mean to do."

Voldemort studied her carefully. "Well….One more question. What is your blood status?"

Hermione looked at Harry nervously, who drew her close and put an arm around her protectively. "Father, you told me…"

Hermione blurted out. "Muggleborn."

Voldemort sighed. "Well, my son's too rebellious to marry a pureblood. I was hoping for a half-blood, but since that's not going to happen, I suppose you will do."

Harry looked relieved. He placed a soft kiss on top of Hermione's head.

"Now son, I believe you have a raid to go on. I will give you my present later."

Harry looked up in surprise. "Oh shoot!"

He raced out of the room, Neville close behind yelling, "Mione! Go to my room! I'll see you later!"

Hermione sighed. It was just like Harry to forget that she was standing in the room with the supposed most evil dark lord in the world. Oh well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry narrowed his eyes through his silver mask. Behind him, were a dozen death eaters, all waiting for a signal.

Then Harry saw it. 5 order members strolling through the street. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley and Arthur Weasley. It was perfect.

He sent a stream of green sparks in the air, and with a flash, Death Eaters converged onto the street. Harry yelled at them, "NO KILLING OR MAIMING JUST SCARING REMEMBER! ONLY ORDER MEMBERS!"

Soon the street was filled with bellowed voices and screams. Harry leapt into action, sending spells at different people.

Then he saw him. "Shit." Was Harry's only coherent thought. "What's he doing here?" And there onto the scene walked Albus Dumbledore.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

James and Lily smiled down at Albus. A fine young man. In the past few years, he had grown much more mature and much less spoiled. He had even come to mourn the brother he had treated so unfairly.

Albus grinned. "Hey, Dad, Ron's coming over in a bit. Can I take my Firebolt out with him?"

"Sure, Albie. Just don't break it like you did with your Nimbus.

"Yes mum." He raced outside to the shed to start practicing.

Lily sat down on the sofa. A tear rolled down her face.

James sat down and hugged her.

"He would be starting his seventh year. He was a clever boy...wasn't he? We should have payed more attention to him. What idiots we are." Lily said, sobbing into James's chest.

James stroked her hair soothingly. "Lils, we need to move on. I miss him every day, but what can we do? Harry….Harry taught us a valuable lesson. We realised how Albus was acting, and now look at us. Rosie is a bright young girl, who has never seen a cloudy day in her life. Theo couldn't be more happy either."

Lily had been pregnant at the time of Harry's disappearance.

With twins. Again.

So when Rosie Minerva Potter, and Theodore Remus Potter had been born, they had vowed for them never to be overshadowed or neglected because of their brother. Albus as well had learned a few hard lessons, but in the end, he had become a fine young man.

Lily straightened up and smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress. "You're right. I will never forgive myself, but for Albus, Rosie and Theo, I will move on."

Just then the floo flared and Remus staggered into the sitting room. He had a bloody wound on his leg, and was incredibly pale. Lily gasped and helped him to lie down onto the sofa.

"Attack…Hogsmeade...Death Eaters….Heir….Need...Help…" Remus managed to choke out before he fell unconscious.

James ran to the floo. "I will kill this bloody heir! He's hurt everyone I care about! He probably killed Harry!" And with that, he spun out of sight and towards Hogsmeade.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry strode up to Albus Dumbledore.

"Well, old man, wanna duel? Let's see if you've lost your touch." Harry sneered. He could still remember the old man ignoring him in favor of Albus. He had been taunted about that by Albus because he was "An ordinary wizard who was invisible next to the greatest wizard of all time."

Dumbledore eyed him. "Who are you?" He said softly.

Harry grinned underneath his mask. "Let's just say I have an old score to settle with you." Then with a flick of his hand, he shot sectumsempra at Dumbledore. He blocked it easily and retaliated with a more powerful curse. Harry's shield came up instantly. Soon, the air between them was flying with multicolored curses. Dumbledore was starting to sweat, and Harry had a grime covered face. But on they duelled. Then, from out the corner of his eye, he spotted the Auror reinforcements. The raid was over.

Harry shot up blue sparks. That was the signal to retreat. He spun away from Dumbledore, and ran through the fights, yelling "Death Eaters, retreat!"

Behind him, Lucius Malfoy ran. When he caught up to Harry he chuckled and said, "What happened to the more subtle leaving?"

"I have a flair for dramatics."

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the air. Harry narrowed his eyes. Looking around for the source of the scream, his eyes zeroed on Bellatrix. She was being held under some type of curse, that was obviously causing her a lot of pain.

Harry raced towards her. He knelt by her side. "Bella? Are you ok? Who is it?" He growled.

Bellatrix's eyes widened and she choked out, "There….careful…"

Harry turned around and met the eyes of James Potter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Remus, what happened?" Lily asked when Remus awoke again.

He groaned and looked at his leg which was covered in bandages. "That's not going to be pretty during full moon."

Lily grimaced. If Remus ever got hurt, and didn't heal before full moon, he had a tendency to make the wound even worse, by scratching at it or something.

Remus sat up. "I don't know Lils. One minute me and the rest of the patrol were just...well patrolling, and the next, there were Death Eaters everywhere. I was hit by a sectumsempra, Tonks bundled me into the nearest fireplace, and I was here! Oh gosh, is she ok? I need to get back to her!" Remus tried to get up in vain.

Lily tried to soothe him. "It's all right Remus, Tonks is fine. I'm sure she'll come here when the raid is over."

Lily looked nervously out the window. It was starting to get dark, and clouds had gathered in the sky.

Not a very good omen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"YOU!" James snarled full of hate. "The dark heir."

Harry was pale underneath his mask. He hadn't expected such a feeling of remorse when he met the eyes of his father. James had been momentarily taken aback by the green glow of them, but he had quickly gotten over it.

"Yes, me. What about it?" Harry said, trying to lighten up his voice.

James levelled his wand at Harry. "I want to ask you one question. Did or didn't you kill my son?"

Harry smirked. Time to play some games. "The chosen one is dead?"

James shook his head. "No, my other son. Harry James Potter." He whispered, his eyes filling up with tears. "The elder twin of Albus."

Harry frowned. James wasn't supposed to care for him. "Ohhhh, him. Well, he died a terrible death. Screaming and cursing. He was burnt alive. He kept on saying, "Mummy, Daddy, please find me, please! I will be a better boy, I'll be like Albus! Just please care! He was completely delirious with pain by the time he died."

Harry was of course describing what he had felt during his time with the Potters. He had been in so much pain with all the ignoring.

James started to sob a bit. "You son of a bitch. I'll kill you for that! YOU KILLED MY HARRY!"

"YOUR, Harry. I was under the impression that he ran away because he was unhappy."

James shot a nasty spell, which Harry deflected easily. "I just wish he were alive. I just want to say….Sorry for being such a bad father."

Harry cried in rage, and shot a blasting spell at his father. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL YOURSELF HIS FATHER AFTER WHAT YOU DID!"

James looked at him in confusion, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He had hit the wall hard, and Harry had heard in satisfaction that something had cracked.

"Huh? Why do you care, you filthy piece of worthless scum?"

That remark hit to close to home. Harry had always felt worthless and unwanted, and although Lily and James had never said it, he knew that they had thought it.

Harry saw red. "AVADA-"

Just then, a huge burst of light came, and hit Harry. He hit the ground cold.

Just behind him stood Albus Potter, eyes glowing with rage at the heir.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We have the dark heir, Albus captured him." Lily told James as soon as he woke up. He had fainted when the rescue services came.

James shook his head groggily. "Have they unmasked him yet? I want to see the face of my son's killer."

Lily's face went pale. "You mean….he killed Harry?"

"Yes." James growled.

Lily had tears coming out of her eyes. She helped James get up, and then both of them went to the sitting room.

There stood the dark heir, tied up with ropes. He was still unconscious, but had his mask on. All around him were the order members.

Dumbledore walked up to Lily and James. "Sit down James. I trust you are feeling better? Now, I shall wake up the dark heir, and then we shall question him."

Dumbledore walked up to the heir and said, "**Ennerverte." ** The dark heirs eyes flew open, and he started to struggle once he realised where he was.

"No, don't...Let me go!" He yelled as Dumbledore neared closer, his hand reaching to pull of the mask.

Dumbledore's hand wavered just as he was about to pull the mask of, and he said, "James, Lily, would one of you like to do it? Perhaps you should know the face of your son's killer."

James got up. "I'll do it." He said grimly.

James reached for the mask, as the dark heir spat and cursed, wriggling around desperately trying to get away.

James looked into those emerald green eyes just before he pulled of the mask. There was something….familiar about them.

James's hand grasped the lightweight mask, and pulled it off, not caring that the light metal scraped against the skin of the dark heir. He wanted to hurt the man who killed his son.

And there, stood Harry James Potter, because even with the blood potion, he still looked a lot like a Potter.

Lily screamed, and James backed away. Albus, who had recently been initiated into the order, started forward.

"Hey! What are you trying to do? Scare us or something? WE KNOW THAT YOU AREN'T HARRY!" He roared.

Harry smirked. "Actually, dear order members, I am Harry James Potter, but I prefer the name Hadrian Riddle."

Lily started forward, sobbing, arms open, but James pulled her back. "Shush Lils. We don't know if it's actually him. Somebody, administer the veritism."

Harry's eyes widened. If they gave him the veritism, they could learn that Neville was alive, and all of the Dark Lord's secrets. He strained against his bonds, desperately trying to get out.

Severus Snape came forward, his face pained. Harry spat in his face. "YOU!"

Snape looked guilty. "I'm sorry Harry, but it is for the best. I...I have been playing the role of the spy for years now."

Harry looked disgusted. "And to think, I thought of you as an Uncle. Everyone these days is turning!" He said, exasperated besides the seriousness of the situation

James looked mutinous. "You knew who he was?"

Snape looked at him distastefully. "We were bound under the unbreakable vow if we told who Harry was. I didn't want to lose my life betraying the Dark Lord, and Harry, who seemed really happy where he was."

Remus came forward, once seeing James's horrified expression that his son might be happy with the Dark Lord. "Just administer the Veritism."

Snape's face darkened. "Alright."

Harry struggled, but to no avail. His eyes fell blank.

Dumbledore stepped forward. "What is your name?"

"Hadrian Riddle."

Dumbledore sighed. "What is your birth name?"

"Harry James Potter."

James's face broke into the biggest of grins, and Lily started to sob. Albus just looked surprised. Then he grinned. "Oh gosh! MY BROTHERS ALIVE!" He whooped.

Dumbledore cast a glance at the happy family. "I just have to ask a bit more. He has important information….and who knows. We have to be careful. This is Voldemort's heir we're talking about."

"Who are your parents?"

Harry seemed to struggle. "Lord Voldemort. Bellatrix Lestrange is the mother figure in my life."

There was an ominous silence. Every eye turned to the Potter family, who all looked horrified.

Lily burst into a fresh set of tears. "Harry, Harry, I know we were wrong, I am sorry, but he's not your father….and that evil women is definitely not your mother!"

Harry seemed to struggle to break through the haze of Veritism. "You abandoned me. You didn't care. I….You aren't my parents!" He relapsed into the silence induced by Veritism.

"Who are your birth parents?"

"Lily and James Potter."

Everyone sighed with relief.

Who is your brother?

Even under the veritism, everyone could see that Harry was panicking.

Dumbledore looked suspicious, and asked again more forcefully, "Who is your brother?"

"Ne...Neville…...Longbottom…..Riddle….."

Alice and Frank Longbottom looked horrified. "You mean, our son….ran away to….him?"

Alice burst into tears.

"Administer the antidote Severus." Dumbledore ordered.

When Harry was normal again, he started to curse.

"Damn. Oh dammit. Oh….." Then he remembered Hermione. "Oh….Shit." Harry muttered. Had they asked him who he was friends with? He could remember them asking who his brother was…..but that was it. If they heard that Hermione had willingly gone over to the dark side….well she was done for. And she had wanted to finish her last year at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore gazed at Harry. He remembered the quiet boy Harry had been. But that display of power that he had had when he had duelled him…..and Dumbledore wasn't even sure if that was his full power potential. Albus only had a minimum amount of power, not anything special. Could it be possible that he had made a mistake? Nonsense, otherwise Voldemort would have killed him straight away. But surely…...Dumbledore shook his head. Albus was the chosen one, he told himself forcefully.

Everyone had been babbling about what Harry had told them under the Veritism.

"Already forgotten about me then?" Harry muttered under his breath. "Like usual."

"No, Harry, we never forgot you."

Harry whipped his head around so fast, something cracked. He had been staring straight ahead in such deep thought that he hadn't noticed Lily creep up on one side of him. Harry made a mental note to work on sensing his surroundings.

"What do you want?" He spat out.

Lily's eyes were bright with tears.

"Harry, we never forgot about you….Please remember that. After you left, we searched everywhere. And that body….was very convincing."

Harry's eyes hardened. "It's Mr. Riddle to you, please."

Lily just wanted to sob and hug Harry. He had changed so much, she thought fondly. His cheekbones were higher, and….wait a minute. Harry never had that type of face or cheekbones before? Lily, who was an expert in potions, could recognise and illegal blood potion anywhere. Was it possible that Harry had taken one? But then, by default, his eyes and nose should be much more different. They were still….Lily frowned. This was confusing.

Lily furrowed her eyebrows. "Harr- Mr. Riddle, did you by any chance take an illegal blood potion?"

Harry's eyes grew triumphant. "Maybe…." He replied smugly.

Lily grew worried. If this was the type of blood potion she thought it was, then that would mean that Harry would be tied to whoever had lead the ritual. That would mean that if Harry ever tried to change sides, or in other words betray the person he was tied to, he would die.

Lily hurried away to tell Dumbledore. Harry looked at her in confusion. One minute she had been staring at him happily, and the next she was gone. Just like the old days, he thought and sighed unhappily. He wanted to get home. To Hermione. To Neville. To his father. But at the moment, he was stuck here, in the place where his most horrible memories had happened.

Everyone had started to filter out of the living room, casting him nervous smiles and grins. One gangly red-headed freckled person came up to him nervously.

"Hi...um, I'm Ron." The redhead said nervously.

Harry looked at him. He recognized that name….aha! There it was. He was Hermione's only friend at school. Harry decided to be nice to him.

"Hi Ron. I'm Hadrian, or more commonly known as Harry. Pleased to meet you." Harry said, chuckling at Ron's dumbfounded expression.

"Er...well...I just wanted to say that… You can remove those ropes now, you know. They disabled the binding after you took the veritism."

Harry shook his head in disbelief. And nobody had bothered tell him that? They had just let him sit here like an idiot? He got up, and the ropes fell off easily. They had taken his wand of him of course, but they didn't know that he could use wandless magic.

"Thanks….Ron. Why did you tell me this?"

Ron chuckled embarrassedly. "Well, my brothers, Fred and George dared me to talk to you. And plus, you were looking pretty uncomfortable."

Harry grinned. He was already beginning to like Ron. Then he shook his head. He couldn't afford to make friends. He was going to get home, and having any friends here would only hinder his ability during a fight.

"Thank you Ron. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go find a…" Harry wracked his brains for a good excuse to get out of the living room. " Bedroom." He finished lamely.

"Alright….thanks for not blasting me away! Fred, George, you owe me 5 sickles!" He shouted as he hurried away.

Harry stretched. Then, making sure that nobody could hear him, he crept out of the spacious living room, and into the hallway. If he could remember correctly there was a secret room just down the hall that he had used all the time. In there should be some of the stuff he had stolen from Albus's daily amount of presents from fans. Money, training wands, brooms. Harry had only taken what Albus had deemed unworthy of his attention.

Harry scanned the brick wall for the telltale carving. There! And….

"Harry!" James came up to him grinning. "Er...your mother and I….and Dumbledore need to talk to you."

"You are not my parents." Harry said coldly as he followed James into the kitchen, leaving a deflated James behind.

"Harry…." Dumbledore said. "Please….sit down." He gestured to one of the chairs. Harry remained standing.

"Very well. It seems that you have taken a blood potion. Am I correct?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry grinned. "Yes. It made Tom Riddle my father, and blood relative. I do not belong to any part of the Potters anymore, besides that they are listed as my birth parents."

Dumbledore sighed. "Ah, but you see Harry, there are several things that I do not think Voldemort told you about this blood potion. First. If you ever try to betray him, you will die."

Harry reeled back in shock. The fact that Voldemort had not told him, and that he had actually done that, spoke volumes. Could it be that Voldemort was only….no. Harry told himself firmly. He cares for you and Neville. Stop thinking about him.

"You're lying." Harry said defiantly.

"No, I am not. Second, and this is actually good news, the blood potion didn't work on you."

"WHAT?" Harry yelped. "But then...how come...huh? That's not...my looks! And she just said..." He pointed at Lily.

Dumbledore smiled grimly. "Ah yes, your facial features. I believe that when Voldemort realised that the blood potion didn't work on you, he put a permanent glamor on you. He, in other words changed your features permanently. He also must have put the magic signature on you that signifies that type of blood potion, to avoid questions. It was only once I looked at the signature more closer, that I realised that it was fake, and just a disguised permanent glamor."

"But then why do I still look more like myself?" Harry asked.

"Because permanent glamor can only change a few aspects of your face, and only give you what you could have inherited. So, you still look like yourself, but with a few things that you that you could have inherited from your family. So, those high cheekbones would most likely have come from James's side of the family, as they are purebloods. Basically, Voldemort must have changed your features until you looked most like him."

"But….my eyes and my hair!"

Dumbledore frowned. "Yes….I don't know. Sometimes permanent glamor doesn't work unless the person who it is being cast on wants it to. So, you must have still wanted to look like your parents."

"I don't want to look like the Potters at all. My eyes remind me everyday of one particular memory." Harry spat.

James and Lily looked hurt. "But Harry, why did you want to look like….him? How could you even look like….him?"

Harry looked at them amused. "Do you remember the last time you saw me? I came running towards you, trying desperately to tell you something. You didn't listen. You didn't care. Well, anyways, what I was trying to say was that I had been kidnapped by Lord Voldemort. He offered me a home, for which reason I will not say. And, since you already know Neville is alive, well, basically, he found Neville, who ran away and took him under his wing. My father," Here James started to choke on the water he had been sipping. " Showed me more affection, more care, more attention than anyone had in a few years. After your...ahem display of not even noticing I was gone, I realised that I had no future with you. I have been more than happy in the care of my father." Harry finished, satisfied with the horrified and embarrassed looks on James, Lily and Dumbledore's faces.

"Anyway, I must be off. Thanks for capturing me, and not so nice seeing you all again." With that, Harry muttered a bombarda curse under his breath, and raised his hands, only to see, with horror that they had two white bracelets circling them.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, yes, we have learned from a certain...ah _source _that you could do wandless magic. These white bracelets cannot be taken off until you cooperate. Yes, you can still perform magic with a wand." He added, after seeing Harry's murderous face. "But you don't have one."

Harry glared at him. "I suppose you'll be keeping me prisoner? Where, in the dungeons?" He taunted.

"No, you will be staying here with the Potters, until the school year comes around when you will go to Hogwarts."

"I think I preferred the dungeons." Harry muttered.

"Harry, can you remember where your old room was?" Lily asked timidly.

"What, the attic?" Harry snapped.

"Well, we did a few conversions to it after you left. You see…..it kind of became dedicated to you. Sort of like what you should have had. Anyway, it's a bit over the top, because it became a family project, but….well you can sleep there if you want." Lily finished.

Harry glared at them. Then he stomped over to the refrigerator, and started taking out masses of food. James looked at him amused. "Still have an appetite? I seem to remember that you used to eat like a bear every time meals came around."

Harry smirked. "No, it was just to get away from you guys. I couldn't bear being ignored, or being compared to. And no, I had a small refrigerator up there I stole from Albus once. I put a invisibility charm on it," Seeing his parents surprised looks, he added "I could do wandless magic from the age of nine. Anyway, I stored a lot in there. So just stocking up again. I don't want to have to eat dinner with you lot and Albus. Just think of it as me saving you lot from a lot of awkward moments." He said smugly.

Lily coughed. "Actually, Harry it wouldn't just be us and Albus. We….had another set of twins. Rosie and Theo."

Harry looked at her in disgust. "I suppose they're just as unhappy as I was?" He asked, feeling sorry for the twins. At least they have each other, he thought.

"Harry….." Lily said, not being able to bear the pain she was getting through Harry's remarks. "Harry, we never treated them badly. Harry, I know you can't forgive us straight away, but we are so sorry! Please, please come back to our family. You are a Potter, no matter what!" She said, fat tears rolling down her face.

Harry looked at her sharply. "I suppose you thought that everything would be fine and dandy, once you saw that I was still alive. You thought, yes, here is Harry, we have the chosen one, and now we can be one big happy family again. Oh joy. Well, hate to break it to you, but I will never, ever be a Potter again. Blood potion or not, I am a Riddle. I will stick to the family that protected me, loved me and told me the truth. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to settle myself into my old rooms again. Good bye Mrs. Potter, Mr. Potter." Harry sneered.

He stalked out of the room, and as he turned, he saw Lily turning to James, sobbing. James had tears running down his face as well.

'Their not supposed to care.' Harry thought frustratedly. 'Dad told me that the Potters didn't care. He spied on them numerous times. And they didn't care!' Harry stalked up the stairs. 'I need to find an owl.' Harry thought. Get a message out.

He looked cautiously into Albus's room. It had tidied up a lot, and was much more simpler. If he could remember correctly, Albus had gotten a pet owl for his 10th birthday. It was right over….aha! An ebony owl, one of the rarest of it's kind was sitting on the windowsill. Finding a scrap of parchment lying on Albus's desk, he set the food down, and began to write.

_Dear Hermione, Dad and Nev,_

_Yes, I have been captured. Yes, I am at the Potter's. Yes, they are trying to keep me here. Dumbledore's put some type of magical bind on me so that I can't do wandless magic. I will be going to Hogwarts on the 1st of September. No use in trying to get me out once I'm there. Try and get me out now. You've got one month. Ok, the wards are incredibly strong, but there's no other choice. Hermione, go back home, pretend to go on with your summer. If I get rescued, I'll send you an owl, and come pick you up. If not, go to Hogwarts, and I'll meet you there. Which house are you in? I'll get myself sorted into that one. Then there is no excuse that we will become friends. Oh, and then we can find a way to get out. I bet there is some sort of passageway. If you want to contact me again, don't use Nagini. They have put crazy wards on here. I tested them with my mind power. Good thing they haven't stopped that. There is nothing getting through, except things that are either allowed in, or aren't thinking any type of harm to the family. You'll need some crazy magic on this thing. If you want to contact me, send back an owl, with a message that only I can read, addressed to the attic. (Not as bad as it sounds by the way.) Hopefully I'll read it before they find it. _

_Hermione, don't freak out love. I'm fine. Apparently they've "changed". By the way, what type of ring do you want? I was thinking a diamond, but that's just too normal. What about wizard's rock? Very rare. _

_Salutations from the Potter household, _

_Harry Riddle. _

Harry looked around and whispered to the owl, "take this to Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton." The owl flew off, and Harry with a sigh made his way up the attic stairs. He settled down on the now comfy bed, and began to snore, forgetting all his worries.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione looked at the letter worriedly. "How can he talk about wedding rings! He's been captured! Oh gosh! Oh no! I hope he's ok!" She proceeded to rant about how reckless men were, until Neville coughed.

"Oh...sorry. Um, just one question. What's Wizard's rock?" Hermione asked, blushing slightly.

"Wizard's rock is a very rare type of stone. It looks like a diamond, but on a full moon, it sends out little shafts of light towards the sky, in the dark. Anyway, I better get you home. Follow me." Neville said calmly. His insides were in a turmoil though. Harry had been captured!

Voldemort watched the two go out of the room, before his face grew angry. "My plans are being ruined! First the blood potion, and now this! And of course the stupid Mudblood girl doesn't exactly help. If Harry finds out the truth before…."

"I must get him out. Without him, I cannot succeed anything. Years of planning will go to waste."

Voldemort turned and faced the window.

"He is the end and beginning of a new age. Or so the prophecy said. He is the only one who can destroy me. He is the only one that can help me. I MUST keep him safe." He mumbled incoherently.

"Then, once I have him, nothing can stop me from gaining the power I need."

End of chapter 5.

This was a pretty long chapter, so it might be a week again before the next chapter is up. Read and Review. Thanks!

I do not own any part of the Harry Potter franchise.


	6. Padfoot and Padlet

Harry woke up with a start "Urgh." He grumbled as he realised where he was. Potter Manor. Not at Riddle Manor, with Hermione, Neville and his father. He was in the place he had hated for so long.

Harry jumped out of bed, ran down the stairs. He had to get to that secret passage before anyone woke up! He crept down the corridor and to the brick wall that held the door. He touched the symbol and….

Was assaulted by two bundles of pyjamas and hair.

"Arrrhhhhhggg! We got you now, Death Eater scum!" The boy, who had messy strawberry blond hair growled. His eyes were hazel and held the same type of mischief that James's Potter's once had. He looked pretty normal, but Harry could see a huge scar peeping out of his shirt.

They both looked up at him and frowned, identically.

"Dad! I thought we told you never to come into our secret hideout! It's for 5 year old's only!" The girl cried, who had Lily's red curls, which was a messy mane cascading down her back. Her eyes were a strange blue, deep, almost violet, and her skin was as pale as Harry's, with a slight pink tinge on her cheeks.

Harry almost snarled when they thought that he was James. It was one thing to say that Death Eaters were scum but…..

Both of them looked up at Harry, and realization dawned on their faces. At the same time Harry realised who they were, and took a step backwards. They took a step forwards.

"Your our brother...aren't you!" The girl said, excitedly. "Harry…. right? Mum and Dad talk about you all the time! I'm Rosie." She stuck out her hand and nudged her brother, who had his mouth wide open.

"Uh, yeah, I'm Theodore, but call me Theo please." He said shyly.

Harry stared at his two newfound siblings. "Pleased to meet you." He said, cursing the day that he had been born with manners. Why couldn't he just walk away and not meet them? What if he had to kill them one day?

Theo looked at him admiringly. "Dad told us that you…..are really cool. He said that when they looked at your room after you left, that they found tons of essays, and books, and diaries, and a pensieve! And they told us that you were really awesome! And that they looked at that stuff, and saw that you were really smart! And that...and that you died. But now your alive again. And…." Theo lapsed into an awed silence, not realising that Harry was the heir to the dark lord, and was a threat to them all.

Harry looked at Theo in shock. 'They found my pensieve?' Harry winced. It held all his worst memories and best memories. A sort of day to day diary in a way.

"If you'll excuse me…..I must go and….find your father and mother." Harry said formally not wanting to upset the young boy by being rude.

Theo looked at him shyly. "Um, in an hour, Dad said that I could play Quidditch. Can you come too?"

Harry gaped at him. This boy wanted him to be there for a Quidditch match? 'No emotional attachments' He told himself sternly. "Er….maybe I'll just watch." He said, and turned away abruptly, leaving two 5 year olds behind him, mouths hanging open with wonder.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry stormed into the living room, intending to find any type of weapon. He needed to get out of here! He stopped abruptly. There sat James and Lily Potter, both asleep. Harry frowned. Why hadn't they slept in their bedroom? Then he saw it. His pensieve. The one that he had stolen from Albus, many years ago. He had about 10 at the time, and was complaining about the un-originality of the gifts. Harry who hadn't received anything for his birthday or for Christmas, thought it was only fair that he stole it. Anyway, it contained precious memories. Harry growled. They must have looked at it.

He grabbed the pensieve and took it up to his room. He looked at it, and then with a sigh, delved into his 11 year old and younger memories.

_Flashback. _

"_Mummmeeee!" Albus whined. "I want…..ice-cweam!" _

_Albus and Harry were now 5 years old. Harry, who sat in the corner of the living room, lifted his head out of his book with a jerk. He smiled. Maybe he would get some ice-cream too! _

"_Yes, mummy, please, ice-cream!" Harry crowed. _

_Lily looked at Albus and Harry, casting a loving glance at both of them. This was one of the good days, Harry thought eagerly. _

"_Alright then. Only one scoop though." Lily said, amused. She got up, and returned with two bowls of ice-cream in hand. _

_Albus grinned, and tucked in. Harry waddled forward, as his mother placed his bowl on the high table, forgetting that Harry couldn't reach it yet. Harry glanced at his mother frustrated. Couldn't she see that he was trying to get it? He jumped up and down, trying to reach the bowl. _

_Harry growled. He would get that ice-cream! He told himself determinedly. Then his face brightened. "Acco!" He tried, using the spell he had heard his parents use. Didn't work. "Accio!" He said, forcefully. The bowl soared from the table and into Harry's outstretched hands. He looked up triumphantly at his mother, to see whether she had noticed. And she had. _

"_Oh! Albus! You can do wandless spells!" She cooed. Harry frowned. He had done it, not Albus. _

_Harry muttered the spell again. "Accio!" And the bowl bonked his mother on the head, and then zoomed back towards him. His mother turned around with angry eyes. _

"_Harry, stop trying to get all the attention!" She glared at him. Harry flinched. The look she gave him was one a mother should never give a child. And yet….there was something in those eyes. They were almost….glazed…..Harry shook himself. He had an angry mother to deal with. _

"_But...but I did the spell, Mommy." Harry whispered quietly. Lily looked at him pityingly._

"_Of course Harry dear. And pray, tell me, what was the spell's name?" Lily asked, chuckling at him, amused that he thought he could cast a wandless spell. Albus was the powerful one, not Harry. _

_Harry grinned. "Accio!" _

_Lily frowned. "Harry, you must have heard Albus say the spell. Now, Albus, what is the spell dear?" _

_Albus grinned goofily. He had just heard his brother say the word. And now his mother wanted him to say it. Easy peasy. "Accio!" _

_Lily beamed, and then turned to Harry, her face cold and impassive. "I am disappointed in you Harry. You know that your brother is more powerful than you. Stop trying to get all the attention. Your brother is more important than you. STOP trying to change that!" She snarled. _

_Harry's lower lip trembled. "I...I….but Mommy look! ACCIO!" Harry said with such a force that the bowl zoomed towards him. Harry's outstretched fingers just missed the bowl, and the bowl, full with ice cream, smashed into the curtains. They were pretty old ones, that Albus had torn, barfed on and ruined many times. He always seemed to get everything in the house dirty. _

_Harry grinned sheepishly at his mother. Surely she wouldn't mind if Albus did it all the time. "Sorry Mommy." _

_But Lily's face was a mask of rage. "You stupid brat." She snarled. "Those curtains were expensive! Not only did you ruin them, but you tried to outshine your brother. " _

_Harry started to get angry. His mother always got angry at him, not Albus! "Mommy, Albus does it all the time! Why do you get angry at me not him! Albus is stupid." Harry pouted childishly, using the word that his mother had just used. _

_Lily lunged. She slapped Harry across the face and said, "Never, ever call Albus stupid again, you insolent child…." Lily drifted off, and her eyes cleared. She looked at her hand in shock. Had she really just done that? What had come over her?_

_She turned to Harry. "Harry, dear…..wait!" But the damage was done. Harry fled from the room, clutching his cheek bawling his eyes out. He ran, and ran and ran, until he reached the secret room in which he hid. There he lay on the cold hard floor, sobbing his eyes out. _

_And nobody came looking for him. When Harry finally emerged, his dinner was in the kitchen, cold, dumped on the plate. . His parents were upstairs, reading a bedtime story to Albus._

_End Memory. _

Harry had enough. Even this one memory was sufficient to surface horrible, unhappy feelings.

He rose out of the pensieve and choked down a sob. His mother had never laid a hand on him again, although James had. It was never a beating, but a slap on the wrist, a shove, whatever it was, it always hurt. Anyway, Lily always made him feel bad in some way, by saying snide comments. Either way, Harry didn't want to see any more of his painful childhood today.

Harry sighed. What a miserable day. Suddenly he heard a noise downstairs and a roar. "Potter! Where is he!" Harry jumped up and started to race down the stairs. The only person who had ever cared about him was back. The man who had ended a friendship with his best friend because of the way Harry had been treated. The only type of father Harry had ever had until Voldemort.

Sirius had arrived.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

James woke up with a start. He and Lily had spent all night on the couch, rewatching the memories of Harry's childhood.

"Lily, darling wake up." James shook her gently.

"Mmm…" Lily groaned. She sat up, and stretched. Tear marks were still on her face from the night before. Lily always cried herself to sleep after she re-watched those memories.

James frowned. He was still thinking about those memories.

"Lils! I need you to clarify something for me. You can go up to bed afterwards." James said, picking up a notebook full of information they had.

"What is it Potter?" Lily groaned, and smiled cheekily.

James's forehead creased. "The clouded look in our eyes, the feelings…..Are you sure it had to be a potion? Not a curse?"

Lily sighed. "James, we've gone over this. The only way that it would have lasted that long, was if it had been a potion. A curse would have had to be reapplied almost every month, especially a curse as strong as the one that would be needed."

"But then, the potion…..I mean, those feeling only ever surfaced when Harry was around us!"

"Yes, it could be a dormant potion. One that only comes back when it is triggered. And that type of potion would have had to be slipped into our foods every year. So that means…."

"There's a traitor." James whispered.

"What I don't understand is who and why that person would have done it. I mean….Albus is the boy-who-lived, not Harry. Surely that person would have wanted Albus out of our grasp, right?"

James shook his head. He and Lily had been researching a matter. They had realised that something had been wrong with them during Harry's childhood. What they had discovered had shocked them beyond belief. There had been a type of potion in their bodies that had made them have negative feelings towards Harry. Lily had tested some of the samples they had of it, and found out that it was a dormant potion that only was activated when Harry was in the room. The potion made them aggressive, and have no feelings at all towards Harry. It made them favor the other child, Albus.

"We have to go to Dumbledore about this, Lils." James said worriedly.

Lily sighed. "I know. What about Harry?"

Before James could answer though, there was a huge banging on the door.

"Who is that?" James said, wondering who was knocking on their door so early.

He ran to the door, fearing the worst. Dumbledore dead, Remus dead. Only certain Ministry workers had access to their house, and they were the ones that usually brought the bad news. And only the Ministry workers used the front door.

James opened the door and…

Sirius practically ran over James in his hurry to get into the house. "POTTER! WHERE IS HE? WHERE IS MY GODSON!"

James gaped for a second. "Sirius?" He whispered, hardly believing his eyes. "PADDIE! PADFOOT! YOUR BACK!" He yelled, and tackled Sirius into a hug onto the floor.

Sirius shoved him off disgustedly. "Shut up Potter. I am not Padfoot to you. Where is Harry?"

James turned red. "Padfoot, we need to talk. Lily and I….we found something out about…."

A loud banging was heard on the stairs. Harry's green eyes peeked out from the mass of black curls obscuring his face. He had serious bed head in the mornings.

Harry grinned. "PADFOOT!" He yelled, and launched himself and Sirius. They hugged each other for a second, then broke apart.

Sirius beamed. "Padlet!"

James looked hurt. "Padlet? But….He's my son! Shouldn't he be Prongslet?"

Harry and Sirius turned to James at the same time, Harry's eyes burning into James with disgust.

"Shut up Potter. You yourself told me that Albus was your "Prongslet", and not Harry. You made that very clear by **slapping **Harry when he responded to the name. " Sirius snarled.

"Sirius is like a father to me. And although he refuses to join my father's cause, I'm sure he will one day." Harry said coldly to James, but elbowing Sirius cheekily, who just shook his head and poked Harry in the ribs, with a huge grin on his face. They hadn't seen each other for 4 years, after Harry had come to Sirius trying to persuade him to join the dark side.

Lily hurried into the room. Her face split into a grin. "Sirius!" She said, and raced over to give him a hug.

Sirius stopped her. "Lily, I do not want to hurt you. You know that I am absolutely disgusted with your behavior towards Harry over the years. DON'T come near me."

Lily looked disappointed and turned away. James tried again.

"Padfoot...please! Lily and I need to tell you something without…...Harry in the room."

Sirius sighed. "Cub, can you wait? Then we'll go to Grimmauld place. You can stay there."

Harry smiled grimly. "Sorry Sirius, gotta stay in this hell-hole. Besides, you know as well as I do that the wards aren't strong enough to hold me inside Grimmauld place. I would escape. Dumbledore will never allow it. And then you would have to come after me, and turn dark in order not to be killed!"

Sirius sighed dramatically. "True, true. I suppose you will have to stay here, so I can convince you to go light."

Harry chuckled. "Never happening, Pad. And just remember, when my father takes over there's a special place for you in the Death Eater ranks?"

James looked shocked. "Sirius….you're dark?" He whispered hoarsely.

Sirius turned his gaze on James. "I would never go dark, Potter. But just because I strongly disagree with Harry's loyalty, doesn't mean I'm going to terminate our relationship. I am more of a father to him than anyone else."

Harry raised his hand and opened his mouth but Sirius beat him to it. " And don't try and say that the evil so called father of yours really cares about you. You have got to change sides!" Sirius said urgently, after seeing Harry's protesting face.

Lily hurried forward and grabbed Sirius by the arm. "Sirius, please. This is urgent."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Fine Lily. This better be quick. I have some catching up to do with my Godson."

James cast one glance at Harry, and then along with Lily and Sirius, hurried into the sitting room.

Harry sighed. He might as well try and find other ways out of here while they were busy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Dark Lord stared at his familiar, Nagini. "_What shall we do? Years of hard work is going to waste. The potion, his loyalty EVERYTHING! I have lost part of my family, and I will do anything to get him back." _Voldemort growled.

Nagini hissed, amused. "_Don't tell me you actually have come to __care __for the boy?" _

Voldemort looked thoughtful. "_Well...I suppose. But that is completely off topic. Now, where were we? Oh yes. The werewolf…." _Voldemort chuckled evilly, thinking of the plans he had in store for the Potter family.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione stared at her letter.

_Dear Harry, _

_You are an absolute, utter, and complete idiot! As soon as I get to Hogwarts, I won't let you out of my sight, you moron. Do you know how worried I've been? _

_Anyway, try and get out. I don't want to have to pretend not to know you at Hogwarts. And yes, I am in Gryffindor House. Don't get angry, it's not that bad. I'm sure your father will accept it. _

_Please tell me you've been civil to Ron. He is a good guy, and one of my best friends. And those parents of yours will do anything to gain your loyalty back. DON'T LISTEN! You deserve much better than those horrible "parents". _

_I don't mind what type of ring you get me. As long as you give it to me when you are out of danger, I shall be happy. _

_Love, _

_H xxx_

Hermione attached the roll of parchment to the ebony black owl Harry had given her for her 17th birthday. She sighed as the black wings faded away into the distance, and turned back to her work, tears forming in her eyes. She really hoped that Harry was ok.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sirius gaped at Lily and James. "You're...You're sure. Absolutely sure."

James nodded solemnly. "Utterly, and completely 117 % sure." James grinned, using a small saying they had made up.

Sirius stared at them, and then began to chuckle. "Hahahaha! HA! HAH!" He was rolling on the ground by now, tears forming in his eyes because he was laughing so hard. "HAHAHAHA!"

Lily began to giggle."Er, Siri, what's so funny?"

Sirius wiped his eyes. "I will kill whoever did this! It destroyed Harry's childhood, AND IT DESTROYED MY FRIENDSHIP WITH YOU GUYS! PRONGS!" He yelled and leaped into James's arms, and then promptly landed on the floor when James's arms proved to weak to hold him.

Sirius hugged Lily and James and began to dance around the room, in a crazy Sirius like fashion. "I got my best buddy back, I got my best buddy back." He trilled.

He then stopped and ran out of the door yelling "I won't tell Harry but I gotta meet those two kids of yours!"

James and Lily stared at each other. "Knowing Padfoot he's gonna hit the roof when he hears that Theo is named after him." James muttered as they raced out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry sighed and lay on his bed. So far, no news from either Hermione or his father OR Neville.

Suddenly he heard a tapping at the window, and saw 4 owls there. He grinned, and opened up the window and grabbed the letters the owls were holding.

The first one was from Bellatrix. Harry rolled his eyes, mentally preparing himself for a berating on letting himself get captured. Here's what it said;

_Harry, _

_I am….astounded. You saved my life, but now you're back in that hellhole, with those people who call themselves your parents. I hope that you know that your real family is back here, at Riddle Manor. _

The letter went on and on, telling Harry what was going on, how to take care of himself, etc.

_I met your...fiancee. Quite a character, even if she is a Mudblood. I wish you would have waited for Daphne though. Her father was ready to sign the contract for the marriage, but your Father vetoed it once he met Hermione. Hm. Maybe Daphne can convince you with her charming character when you get back. I will not settle for your marrying a Mudblood! _

_Love, _

_Bella. _

The next letter was from his father. It was straight to the point, and Harry chuckled at his father's straight forward manner. It basically said that he should get out of there the first moment he got, even if he had to kill 5 people in the process.

Harry breathed in the next letter. It was from Hermione, and he could smell her perfume on it. He read it, brushing with his finger the ink blots and tear stains. He wish he could be with her right now.

The last letter came as a surprise. It was not from Neville, but from an old friend of his.

Draco Malfoy.

Harry smirked as he read Draco's fine pureblood handwriting. It didn't say anything about his capture, but Draco did berate him about his choice of wife. Harry laughed outright when he read;

_I hope to see you soon at Hogwarts, or at Riddle Manor. Father says we must get together again some time. _

Just like Draco to take the situation smoothly. Harry shook his head, marveling his best friend's smooth letter.

Harry leaned back on his bed, locking the letters in his safe underneath one of the floorboards. Sirius was taking ages.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So...let me get this straight. You flew into the Dark Lord's pet Nagini….and she...laughed?" Sirius said, tears rolling down his face as Harry recounted some of his favorite memories. "How can a snake laugh?"

"Well she kind of….hissed and put bursts of air….Oh I don't know Pad!" Harry said exasperatedly.

Siris grinned. "It's good to have you back, Padlet."

Harry's grin turned into a frown. "Look, you remember how I'm the one of the prophecy? How my dad's spell hit me? Well, that means that only I can win this war. And since I'm on the dark side, we're going to win. Please, please join. You don't have to fight. Just….advise. I stated my terms to Father, but he said that if you were killed in battle, he couldn't do anything. My fiancee…"

Sirius expression turned gleeful. "Little Paddie has a fiancee?Oooohhh" He said, making kissing motions.

Harry flushed. "Shut up. I'm serious! SHUT UP!" Sirius only laughed even harder.

Between gasps of laughter he said, "No, you're not Sirius, I am!" Sirius laughed even harder, rolling around on the floor.

Harry shook his head amused. "You haven't changed one bit, Pad."

Sirius poked Harry in the ribs."Nor you Harry. Hey, have you mastered your Animagus form yet?"

Harry grinned. "Yup, and wait till you see what I am. Your going to be proud, Padfoot."

Harry transformed. And then growled.

Harry was a Grim. Just like Sirius, but whereas Sirius was completely black, Harry had streaks of white and gold. But the fact that Harry had transformed into a Grim meant something entirely different.

Sirius gasped, and hugged him. "You mean…."

Harry had a funny expression on his face. "Yeah. I consider you my father, Pad. Not the Dark Lord."

When a person became an Animagus, they would transform into something that was related to their family. Most families had a family animal group. The Potters were deers and birds. Sirius's family had been ravens, but when Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor, he unknowingly broke away from the Black family animal group. He had become a new type of Black family. In fact, he was the first Grim animagus. To be a Grim Animagi meant you were very powerful, while your look couldn't kill like most Grims, you had all the magical powers they had. And Harry, who for 6 years had had a father in Sirius, had considered himself Sirius's son. So, when Harry had learned his true Animagus form, he was surprised to find that he hadn't turned into a snake or falcon, the Gaunt family animal group. His father had thought that Harry was just very powerful, and had broken away from the animal group, but Harry knew differently.

"Gosh, Harry. I mean….so what does…..your..ff..father think?" Sirius said with a bit of stuttering.

"He doesn't know."

They lapsed into silence.

Sirius grinned. "Well, you know what?"

"What?"

"I wanna hear more about this fiancee. What's her name?"

Harry groaned. This was going to be a long conversation of explaining.

Just outside the door, James listened to the conversation inside, a tear rolling down his face. He had messed up so badly. And now….Sirius was his family. Not the Potters. James shivered to think about what might have happened if Sirius hadn't been there for Harry. At least there was still hope, James thought grimly.

James stood up and turned to leave. They were having a conversation about Harry's fiancee. Probably some pure blooded princess, James thought grimly. But, it wouldn't hurt more to find out about Harry's life.

"Her name is….Hermione Granger. She and I met when we were 11."

James gasped. Hermione Granger was one of the best witches of her age. Had she turned dark?

"No, Pad she hasn't turned dark. She just wants to be by my side, no matter what. She's not choosing sides until she's sure what I want, and what she wants."

James sighed with relief. But...Hermione! Albus had mentioned her a few times, blushing. They weren't close, and now James knew why. Obviously Harry had told Hermione about his childhood. But Albus seemed to have an enormous crush on her…..That wasn't going to turn out well. Should he tell Lily and the others? No….that would just cause more trouble.

James stood up. Just as he stepped onto the stairs, it gave a loud creak.

Harry raced to the door and opened it.

And saw nothing. Harry sighed with relief, closed the door, and returned to his conversation.

James smirked. Harry may be all powerful, but he had his invisibility cloak.

James carefully made his way down the stairs, not knowing that at that very moment, Voldemort was preparing to attack.

And he wasn't planning on leaving survivors.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Flashback: _

_James picked up his coat and kissed Albus and Harry on the head. "Now, be careful, ok? Uncle Peter is with you tonight, so don't make too much trouble. Daddy loves the fact that you both are future marauders, but Wormie here doesn't need his hair pink again." James chuckled remembering Harry's accidental magic. _

"_Don't wowwry Papa. Uncle Wormie won't get pink hwair again!" Albus said brightly, nudging Harry to do the same. _

"_Yeah. Uncle Wormie gets orange hair wif polka dots!" Both started laughing. _

_Peter smiled nervously. Tonight was the night that he would lead his master in to kill both of the Potter twins. His Godsons. Peter shivered at how a simple act of thoughtlessness led to this. He had become a Death Eater to help protect his friends. Fat load of good that did. Maybe he could…..no. It was to late. It was either his life, or Albus and Harry. Peter wasn't sure whose was more important. _

_Lily rushed out the door, giving Wormtail a quick kiss on the cheek saying, "Thanks again Wormtail. It's been so long since I saw Mom and Dad agian. It'll be nice." She smiled, and ran out the door and to the apparation point. _

_James followed again, but not before giving Wormtail a quick slap on the back. "Have fun with the two tykes!" He said, chuckling. _

_Peter watched the two go out the door and apparate. As soon as they were gone, he turned to the twins, and smiled nervously. _

_Albus and Harry gave identical grins. "UNCLE WORMY!" They screeched, and launched themselves on top of him. _

_Half an hour later, Peter glanced at the clock. It was time. He waved his wand, and his green hair disappeared, along with the pig's tail that the twins had given him. He chuckled sadly. He would miss these two. _

_Peter made sure that he was dressed appropriately, before herding the twins upstairs and into their bunk bed. They wouldn't get into bed, so Peter let them play on the ground. Might as well let them have fun while it lasted. _

_There was a burning on his left arm. Peter quickly ran outside the house, and there, stood his master, Lord Voldemort. _

"_Mmm...Master." Wormtail bowed lowly. "It is my honor to be by your side while the chosen ones are defeated." _

"_Chosen one...s?" Voldemort laughed. "No, one of them shall be left alive. The elder one I think. Hadrian or whatever his name is. To show my….mercy." Voldemort smiled cruelly. "But not before giving the brat the torturing he deserves." _

_Wormtail stared in shock at his master's mercy. "May I...ask why?" _

"_No." _

"_Oh...Ok." _

_Wormtail led Voldemort inside, and upstairs. There stood the two twins. _

_Soon the house was filled with green light, which left Wormtail cowering. _

_Voldemort stared at Harry in shock. "It didn't work! IT DIDN'T WORK!" Then he heard the sounds of people outside. _

_He acted quickly. "Pettigrew. You have been attacked outside when one of the twins ran outside. I was waiting. I bound you, and you tried to protect the twins. This way you will still be able to spy. I want you to…" Voldemort waved his wand and a small vial of potion appeared. "Put this in the Potter's food." He snagged a hair off Harry who was watching angrily, and put it in the potion. _

"_Obliviate." He pointed his wand at the twins, and a white glow enveloped them. "This potion will drive Harry to my side. We will win the war for sure. And no matter what Peter, Harry is NOT the chosen one. Albus is. If the old fool thinks it is Harry, SAY you saw Albus get the spell. You then passed out unconscious again." _

"_Unconscious?" _

_Voldemort smirked. "Sectumsempra!" Slashes appeared over Wormtail and he looked surprised before falling to his knees. "Crucio!" _

_Wormtail began to scream, and Voldemort cast one final spell. " Malus!" He hissed, and Wormtail began to convulse, before letting out a heart-wrenching scream. Blood began to seep out of his nose, eyes and mouth.". Albus, who was unconscious, didn't notice a thing, but Harry was watching in horror. _

"_STOP! Stop it!" Harry shrieked and jumped in front of Wormtail, only to be hit with a spell that sent him flying backwards. He landed on the floor, and tried to run towards Wormtail. Voldemort stopped the spell on Wormtail and muttered, "Exantus." Harry fell to the ground, a slash appearing on his chest, seeping through his shirt. When examined later by the house elves, along with the lightning bolt scar, they would see that it was in the shape of the famed deathly hallows, but nobody thought twice about it. _

_Wormtail just managed to gasp out, "People….Please…Master…." _

_Voldemort muttered, "Sustainus." Wormtail, still in pain, breathed a sigh of relief, as the life sustaining spell entered his bloodstream. _

_A pounding was heard up the stairs. Voldemort sprang through the window, just as James Potter burst through the door. _

_XXXXXXXXXX_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Voldemort growled as he tried to push past the wards on the Potter house. Wormtail, who had been found as a spy 3 years ago, was trying to figure out the spells as well, because James had often showed his friends the warding spells. But it was to no avail. The magical signature was the one of Albus Dumbledore, so there was no getting past them.

'I'm coming Harry.' Was Voldemort's last thought as he apparated out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The end of the chapter! Hope you all enjoyed, sorry it took so long. Read and Review! Tell me what you think of the twins (Theo and Rosie), Harry and James? Lily will have a bigger part next chapter, and the time will speed up.

Voldemort does love Harry in his own way. And you will find out who Harry considers the better "Father" to him, Sirius or old Voldy.


	7. Lies and Love

Harry James Potter, or as he prefered to be called, Hadrian Riddle, stared angrily and Albus Dumbledore.

"No." He stated flatly. "Not possible. My father would never do that. He told me that…." Harry stopped himself just in time before revealing a secret that his father had told him. About the bond.

Dumbledore looked at him sternly. " Mr. Potter, you must believe me. Lily is an expert in Potions. She is even better than Severus. She recognized the potion as soon as she saw it! They were given dormant potions that made them have negative feelings towards you. And there is only one way that it could have been slipped into their food."

James smiled grimly. "Do you remember Uncle Wormtail, Harry?"

Harry scoffed. "Yeah, he comes every Tuesday and Wednesday to be tortured by father. I hate him, the weak snivelling rat."

James looked shocked, as this wasn't the answer he had expected. "You mean...he's still a death eater? Do you realise that he betrayed us? Why didn't you kill him! HE RUINED OUR LIVES! THE SNIVELLING TRAITOR GAVE US THE POTION FOR 9 BLOODY YEARS!" James roared out of breath, his hate for Wormtail getting the better of his temper.

Harry laughed, an eerie sound. "I don't care. I had a miserable childhood, and you were responsible. Do you really believe that I'm going to believe this shit your telling me?"

Lily tried to put a hand on Harry's shoulder, only for him to move away again. "Harry, I know this is painful for you, because you realise Voldemort...er I mean your father betrayed you, but please! You must give us another chance! Harry, please!" Lily said, close to tears.

Harry eyed her coldly. "I don't believe you. If you had really loved me, then you would have fought against the potion. Father has always told me that every spell, potion and curse could be fought, if the person was strong enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've had enough of your bullshit. I believe that my siblings, Theo and Rosie wanted me to play Quidditch with them. At least they don't have the childhood I had. Congratulations, Mother, Father." He said mockingly.

Harry was about to step out of the room, when Dumbledore furrowed his brow. "Wait. Harry. I think we can prove something. Do you remember when you were 8 years old, and you went with Lily to Diagon Alley?"

Harry turned around, going pale. "No…" He whispered. "That was a sick little trick to make me believe that my parents still cared for me."

Dumbledore smiled grimly. "No. It wasn't. Legilimens, quisque docere." He muttered.

Harry was caught by surprise, and his shields crumbled. The memory was projected from his mind, into everyone's minds who were in the room.

_Flashback_

_Harry shuffled nervously up to his mother. "Uh...Mother...can I have some breakfast please? I ran out of food in my room." He muttered. _

_Lily turned around from talking with Peter Pettigrew, who had come over for brunch. "Oh….Harry!" She said in shock, as if waking up for the first time in months. _

_Harry was pale and thin, with dark circles under his eyes, which had lost the sparkle that they had once held. His arms hung uselessly by his side, as if he didn't have the strength to lift them anymore. His clothes hung off his frame, and he was hunched over. His hair was incredibly scruffy, and hung down to his shoulders. Harry had lost the will to live, because recently, the only person who had ever cared about him, Sirius, had been banned from the Potter Manor, after a big fight with the Potters. He had tried to meet up with Harry, but Harry had been caught by James trying to sneak out, and severely punished when James realised who Harry was trying to meet up with. Since that, Harry had become depressed, thinking that nobody cared about him. _

_Harry looked up at his mother, repeating his question tonelessly. "Mother, please may I have breakfast. I don't want to inconvenience you, but I am incredibly hungry as I forgot to have some food for...:" Harry paused to count. "A week now." _

_Lily stared at her son in shock. What was the matter with her? Had she really let her son...starve?_

"_I'm sorry Peter, but I believe Harry needs a day out with his mother. Mother son time, you know?" She said, firmly taking Harry's hand and leading him towards the fireplace, to floo to Diagon Alley. _

_Peter stared at them in confusion and anger. They couldn't leave! Lily's monthly amount of potion had run out, and her normal feelings had returned! He needed to get some potion to her before she showed Harry that she cared about him. _

_Desperately, Peter picked up a small chocolate with the potion inside. "Lily, you look rather hungry. Before you go, eat this!" _

_Lily smiled, thinking that Peter was truly worried. "Thanks Peter, but I'll have something to eat at Diagon Alley. Please tell James where we are if he gets worried." _

_With that, the emerald green flames swallowed them both. _

_That day was the best day Harry had in years. He and Lily had had a great brunch, where Harry ate properly for the first time in weeks. He had told his mother eagerly about what he was reading, studying and practicing in his room. _

_Lily was also having a wonderful time, connecting with her son. She realised that she hardly knew anything about him. And he was really smart, she realised, and obviously had her talent in potions, when Harry told her about brewing Polyjuice one day, when Neville was over. They had put the hairs of some local boys in the Potion, and spent the rest of the day parading around Godrics Hollow as some muggle people. _

_Lily realised that she had completely neglected her son, and was terribly ashamed. She made a vow to herself that she would pay as much attention to Harry as she did to Albus. With a bright smile she stood up, and decided that it was definitely time to go an get Harry some new clothing. _

_They went to Madame Malkins, and got Harry a whole new wardrobe, things he liked, as all his clothing were Albus's hand-me-downs. _

_They went to Flourish and Blotts and got Harry tons of new books. _

_They went to the Quidditch shop, and got Harry the new Silver-Arrow, the best broom of it's kind, at the time. Even Albus didn't have it yet, Harry thought excitedly. _

_They went to the pet shop, and Harry got a snowy-white owl that he named Hedwig, and a small husky puppy he named Lilypad. _

"_I'm naming her Lilypad, in dedication of you and Paddie, who are my favorite people in the whole, wide, world!" Harry said, solemnly, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at his mother in adoration. This was the first time he had spent so much time with her, and he really felt loved. _

_Lily felt her heart warm, and a small tear slipped down her face, as she realized that Harry had had no attention paid to him at all, and that she and James barely knew Harry. She stooped down, and hugged Harry. _

"_Mummy, why are you crying? Did I make you sad?" Harry asked, almost frightened. _

"_No, dearest, it's nothing. Come on, lets go to Zonkos and Magical toys." _

_They went to all the toy-shops and bought a lot of new toys for Harry, which he had never been able to have before. And then, they stumbled over to the nearest Floo station, packages in hand. _

_When they got back, Lily started making dinner, for 5 people, because Peter was staying over. Nobody noticed Peter Pettigrew fiddling with the food. _

_Harry put all his new toys in his room, and grinned. His parents really did care for him! _

_He went downstairs, and slipped into the dining room. To his surprise, there were only 4 places! Wasn't Uncle Wormtail staying as well? Harry thought. _

_Lily tasted the food, and almost instantly started to wonder why she had taken Harry to Diagon Alley. Was it because….he was neglected? _

_Harry walked upstairs into his room and started to play with his new toys. Finally, two hours later, he wondered why his mother hadn't called him down yet. _

_He crept downstairs, to be met with a discouraging sight. _

_There were Lily, James, Albus and Peter, eating as if Harry didn't exist. _

"_Mummy….Daddy…..Can I eat here?" Harry dared to ask. _

_Lily turned her gaze on Harry. Had she really taken this insolent brat with her to a day out in Diagon Alley? She sneered. _

"_Be quiet, Harry. Nobody wants to hear you. And for your insolence, you can go and eat in your room." James said. _

_Harry looked back defiantly. "But Mommy said that I should eat with you today! She said." _

_Lily frowned. "Oh really? Did I?" _

"_Yes! When we were buying the Silver Arrow!" Harry said, proudly. _

_Albus was confused. "Wait, Harry got a Silver Arrow! NOT FAIR!" Albus whined. _

_James turned to Lily. "Why did you get Harry a Silver Arrow?" He asked confused. _

_Lily shook her head. "I….don't know…. But he doesn't deserve it. After all, he isn't the boy who lived. Harry, go get your Silver Arrow, Lilypad, your books, toys and new clothing. I don't know what I was thinking, spending so much money on YOU. Give them all to Albus. He's much more important. Sorry, James, I don't know what I was thinking, spoiling him like that." _

_Harry's lip trembled. "But..but...Mummy! You said,... that I needed that stuff! Mummy! Not Lilypad!" _

"_You heard your mother. GO. . STUFF." James ordered. _

_Sobbing, Harry fetched his stuff, and laid it at Albus's feet. "Lilypad!" He called. _

_The small husky was there in a flash. She licked Harry's hand and stared at him adoringly. _

_Lily frowned. "What kind of name is that, Lilypad?" She scoffed. _

_Harry looked at her, confused. "I named her after my two favorite people, remember? Paddie, and you!" _

"_Well it's a stupid name. What do you want to name her, Al?" James said, still sore about his former best friend. _

_Albus smirked and looked at Harry. "I'll name her...Jamie. Just like you, dad!" _

_James beamed. _

_Harry was by this stage crying his heart out. "Why, Mommy! You said! This was mine! Lilypad was mine! Hedwig is mine!" _

_Lily stared at him. "Oh, that's right. Give Hedwig to your brother. You have no friends, so therefore, you don't need to send letters," She sneered. _

_Harry's eyes hardened. He should have known better. Of course this was just a cruel joke. Why had he believed it? _

_And in that moment, Harry hated his family beyond belief. _

_He drew himself up, his eyes radiating power. The Potters and Wormtail drew back, shivering at the raw power in his face. _

"_I am no longer a Potter. I hate you all. You hurt me, belittle me, hate me. I have no hope left. I thought, once that you all might be my family again. I see differently now." _

_Harry stalked out of the room. "Lilypad!" He whistled. _

_Albus regained his composure. "Hey, give her back, she's mine!" _

_Harry looked at him coldly. "No Potter, she's mine. Hedwig is mine. And technically all the stuff lying at your feet is mine. And by the way, I can send letters to two people. Padfoot and Neville. My REAL family." _

_Ignoring the yells and promises for punishment, Harry made his way up into his bedroom. _

_Harry was broken. There was barely any hope left for him. _

_A week later, Neville was supposed "dead." _

_Harry was in a deep depression and the only thing keeping him out of it was Lilypad and Hedwig. _

_End Flashback. _

Harry, angry at being tricked, and sensing that a dangerous memory was coming up next, yelled at Dumbledore to stop. But it was too late. The memory was already in motion.

_Flashback_

_Harry stood in front of a red-faced Hermione, who was yelling herself hoarse. _

"_I MEAN, REALLY. YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE THINKING, DIVING INTO THAT LAKE, IN THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER, WITHOUT A BUBBLE-HEAD CHARM OR WARMING CHARM, FOR A STUPID NECKLACE OF MINE! HONESTLY!" _

_Harry's face dropped. "I thought….I mean it seemed pretty special to you. I mean, your FRIEND," Harry said this word bitterly, "Ron gave it to you. It obviously meant something to your relationship with him, I mean you obviously like him and I hate to see you unhappy, and I know that although I wish we were more than friends, you obviously like this Ron and...mmph!" Harry was cut of at Hermione diving at him and kissing him._

_Hermione kissed Harry passionately, and Harry kissed back, equally ferociously. They both broke apart, slightly breathless. _

_Hermione's eyes were shining. "You want to be more than friends! I mean, I've been giving you hints for MONTHS and you think I like Ron! Boys!" She shook her head. _

_Harry was looking at her nervously. "Do you really like me? I mean, I've liked you for ages, and I…" _

_Hermione looked at him and placed a soft kiss on his mouth. "Hadrian Riddle, Harry James Potter, whatever your name is, you sometimes are an idiot." _

_Harry looked at her shyly and said, "Would you like to be my girlfriend, Mione?" _

_End Flashback _

"STOP! STOP!" Harry roared, but Dumbledore, pale faced proceeded to the next memory.

_Flashback_

"_Oh, and before I forget, will you marry me?" _

"_Yes!" _

End Flashback

"STOOOPPPP!" Harry yelled, and to his surprise, Dumbledore cut of the connection.

Lily and Dumbledore stared at Harry, and James gaped. James of course had heard the conversation between Harry and Sirius, but he was surprised at how Harry was so like him. He had proposed to Lily in almost exactly the same manner.

"You're...engaged?" Lily spluttered.

Harry covered his face with his hands, and then looked up. "Don't hurt Hermione. If you do, you'll wish you were never born. She doesn't want to be dark!"

For the first time since arriving at Potter Manor, Harry looked and felt afraid. If Dumbledore decided Hermione was a threat….she could be killed.

Dumbledore sat down heavily on a chair. "I….I never knew…." He said weakly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Hah. You thought she secretly liked Mr. Chosen One. Albus asked her to go to Hogsmeade several times, and she declined. Even when he stopped doing things she didn't like, like running his fingers through his hair. Yes, she told me all about it." Harry added, seeing his parents shocked faces. " Hermione knew how much he had hurt me over the years, and stayed as far as away as possible from him."

Lily beamed. "I'm going to have a daughter in law! We have to meet her! I mean, we always thought she would be Albus's but…."

Harry stared. "You thought she would be Albus's? HAH!" He laughed.

Lily grinned sheepishly. "Yea, she and Albus acted exactly how James and I used to act."

Harry sniffed. "Well, she will be Albus's the day I turn light." He scoffed.

Dumbledore, who had been watching the conversation carefully, stood up. "Harry, do you see what I mean? The way your mothers mood changed, as soon as she ate with Peter over?"

Harry nervously ran his fingers through his hair. "I….I need time to think. My FATHER," He spat "wouldn't do such a thing."

James looked sad. "Do you really not consider me your father anymore?"

Harry started to laugh really hard. It was bordering on the line of insanity, when he straightened up from bending over clutching his stomach. "I didn't consider you my father the day you ignored that I was dying." He said, a cold look in his eye.

James gulped at the icy look in his son's eye. He remembered that day very well.

_Flashback_

_It had been a year after Voldemort's attack, and Harry was feeling sick. Dragon Pox had been going around, Harry recalled. He decided to ask his mother to check his temperature, as Dragon Pox could be extremely dangerous if not treated properly. _

_Harry approached his mother, who was fussing over Albus who had thrown up after eating a crayon. Harry imagined the headlines. 'Chosen one dies after eating crayon.' He snorted. _

"_Mummy….can I please have an aspirin?" Harry asked timidly. He had barely spoken to his parents, and had only held their attention for about 5 seconds in the past few months. _

_Lily turned distractedly away from Albus. "Sorry, Harry? An aspirin? Can't you see I'm busy with Albus?" She sighed. _

_Harry had a coughing fit, and sat down on the floor. "I'm sorry Mum, I know that he's sick an all, and that he's the chosen-" Harry's sentence was cut of by a fit of coughing again, and this time, Harry felt some bile rise up his throat. He definitely had Dragon Pox. The coughing, almost throwing up, and Harry was beginning to feel hot around his back, arms and neck, and cold around his stomach and feet, which was the signature feeling for Dragon Pox. _

_Harry tried again. "I think I may have Dragon Pox." _

_Lily shot up. "What! Oh no!" _

_Harry reached for his mother, the pain was getting worse. He thought that she was worried about him, so he crawled towards her, only to have her shove him back with a bit of magic. _

"_Don't come near Albus, Harry. He could get sick! James!" She called. _

_James ran down the stairs. "What's wrong? Is Albus hurt?" He said. _

"_No, Harry is sick with the Dragon Pox. Can you put him in the basement, so he doesn't infect us?" _

_Harry stared at his parents. He couldn't believe them. He knew that his mother was an accomplished Healer, and that she knew how to treat Dragon Pox. Why were they doing this? He could potentially die!_

"_Mummy, Daddy! It hurts please!" Harry shivered, and retched, a bit of blood staining his lips. It was obvious that Harry had the worst type of Dragon Pox you could get, Horntail Pox as it was often nicknamed. Horntail Pox was notorious for escalating quickly. _

_James Potter stared. And then he laughed. _

_Harry stared at him. And he cried. _

_He was in pain, and his father….laughed. _

_He laughed. _

_He...laughed. _

_HE LAUGHED! _

_Harry started to sob. "Daddy, why are you laughing? It hurts! Please, make it stop!" _

_Little spurts of blood began to ooze from the two scars on Harry's body. _

"_MUMMY!" Harry screamed. His scars were stinging. _

_The Horntail Pox was known to be almost as painful as the crucio, if not more. _

_Lily was starting to get worried. James obviously thought that Harry was faking it, but she knew the signs. Harry obviously had the Horntail Pox. Shouldn't….shouldn't they get him to the doctor? _

_Feelings surfaced that had been misted for so long. Love….Fear for her baby. Lily winced, as they all came back….but suddenly they were forced down again. All Lily cared about was Albus. Harry had to be quarantined, no matter how sick. His very presence was dangerous. _

_James got an angry look on his face. "Alright Harry, jokes over. Stop it." _

"_I'm...not….faking...Daddy….please….doctor….care!" Harry's breathing was becoming laboured. _

"_DADDY PLEASE! DON'T YOU CARE? ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS ALBUS! I'M….IT HURTS PLEASE! I'M YOUR SON AS WELL! PLEASE! CARE ABOUT ME TOO!" Harry howled, fresh tears coming to his eyes. _

_James stalked over, and pulled Harry roughly up, only to snatch his arm away again. His arms were burning up! James stared at his son in horror. He really did have Horntail Pox. _

"_Get up! Get down to the basement. You could infect Albus, and the last thing we need at the moment is Albus sick. You being sick is already bad enough. We'll have to put up with your whining for days." James rolled his eyes. Deep down, something was fighting. Why was he saying all this horrible stuff to his son? Why?_

_Harry clenched his fists, and got shakily to his legs, his white polo shirt stained with blood, the pain intensifying. _

_Harry collapsed. "Daddy….please…" He whispered. _

_James slapped Harry across the face. "Stop making a scene. STOP TRYING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALBUS! STOP BEING AN ATTENTION SEEKING BRAT FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, AND BE HELPFUL TO YOUR FAMILY! GET UP YOU FREAK! NO SON OF MINE LIES ON THE FLOOR, WEAKLING!" He roared. _

_But it was too late. Harry James Potter was awaiting death, the Horntail Pox having finished it's course throughout his body. Only a miracle would save him now. _

_Lily walked over and looked worriedly down at Harry. "James...I think he's in the final stage!" _

_James's face suddenly cleared. "Oh god...My own son! What have I done!" He whispered, and collected Harry in his arms. _

_They brought Harry upstairs, and called up a doctor. _

_By then it was too late. The doctor left, with a sad look in his eyes. Why hadn't the Potters realised that Harry had been seriously ill? _

_Lily and James sat by Harry's bedside, holding his hands, praying. _

_Peter came over…..and cooked them food. _

_Then, on December 1st, a few days after the beginning of Harry's infection, just after the Potter's had finished dinner, Harry woke up. _

_A white glow filled the room. An ancient magic sensed that Harry could not be allowed to die._

_Harry looked around him. He was in his room. The last thing he could remember was his Father screaming that he was a freak and a weakling. Harry slumped back down into his bed, vowing that he would never think of James as his father. _

_The Potters returned to their indifferent and neglective manner of him. _

_It was as if the infection had never even threatened Harry's life. _

_Harry was marked as someone who had survived Horntail Pox, without medical treatment. A small scar in the shape of his dragon was painfully etched into his collarbone by the disease. In the older days, when the cures weren't around, surviving Horntail Pox boosted your magical core, and strengthen your resistance towards pain. If you were treated, this didn't happen. Harry had survived and become a stronger person, but lost something important in the process. _

_A father. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

James shuddered. He couldn't remember why he had been so horrible. He hadn't had any reason!

Harry turned away and stalked out of the room. Before he left he turned around and looked them all in the eye. "Do not tell anyone about me and Hermione. If you do, I will personally make sure that each of your loved ones is killed. Do not mess with me." He snarled. With that he walked out of the room, banging the door shut.

Dumbledore swayed and sat down heavily. He suddenly looked his age, Lily thought.

"Well, it seems that he is not ready to believe us yet. I...Ms. Granger is a bright witch, and I never thought that she would...follow another so willingly to the dark side. But...we want Harry to trust us, so don't tell a soul." Dumbledore ordered.

Lily hugged James. "It's not your fault Jamie." She said, seeing the tears running down James's face as he replayed the memory again and again in his mind.

James looked down at Lily, tears falling from his face.

"But don't you see Lily? It is!"

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Harry walked out to the small Quidditch pitch James had built for Albus on his 6th birthday. Harry had been particularly jealous that birthday, because Albus had gotten the broom that he had wanted for ages.

Up in the sky, he could see two small figures, accompanied by a bigger one flying up. He sat down on the grass and watched them.

For as long as he could remember, Harry had loved Quidditch. He played every position, but seeker was his favorite. He charmed his practice snitch to lead him on a crazy chase, forcing him to do death defying stunts.

Harry was shaken out of his thoughts by a squeal. He looked up, and saw a mass of red curls flying towards him.

Harry jumped up when Rosie reached him, did a flip and landed on the broom, pulled it up just as it was about to crash. Then he floated down softly and helped the shaken girl of her broom.

Theo landed next to him, and ran over to his twin. "Oh, Ro are you ok? Oh gosh, Al is going to kill me!" He proceeded squeeze the life out of the small girl, who smiled at her brother's concern.

"It's all right Theo, Harry saved me!"

Theo looked at Harry with adoring eyes and ran over to him and hugged him, hard. Harry smiled down at him, before his eyes turning cold. Harry carefully extracted the small arms from around him and started to walk away when he heard,

"Hey! Hey! Wait!" Albus panted as he ran up to Harry.

"What?" Harry said coldly.

"Uh..Oh well I just wanted to thank you for saving Rosie," Albus said.

Harry was taken aback. He had suspected a snide remark, or something about how he was now dark. He hadn't expected a thank you.

"Oh...well you're welcome. " Harry said, said awkwardly.

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"Hey, Harry can you play Quidditch?" Theo said, oblivious to the tension between Albus and Harry.

"A bit" Harry said, shuffling from foot to foot.

Albus scoffed. "A bit is a huge understatement. Imagine Krum's talent x 10. Harry was amazing when we were younger, and I bet he's even better now. But not as good as me." He added in an afterthought.

Harry stared at Albus. "How do you know? The few times that I did get on a broom in your presence you would draw the attention away from me...You would always find some way or another to get me in trouble if I so much as TOUCHED a broom." Harry said grumpily.

Albus flushed. "Look, Harry, I'm sorry. I was a mean spoiled little kid, and you have every right to hate me. But...I sometimes would look out of my window at night, and see you and Uncle Siri flying around. It got me jealous...Anyway, I saw how good you were….and I'm sure that Theo and Rosie would love for you to play. Dad can play as well, and a few other people who I can floo over. What about it?"

Harry eyed the broom. It had been a long time since he had been on one and...perhaps he could fly away from the Potter Manor once everyone was distracted. It was a perfect idea!

Harry grinned. "Sure."

Albus, taken aback by Harry's sudden change in mood, hurried to the house to Floo call some people over.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry sat down with Theo and Rosie, who were staring at him open mouthed.

"So...I guess I'm your brother...right?" Harry asked nervously.

"Yeah!" Rosie said perking up at the fact that this amazing person was related to her.

"So...I guess we got to get to know each other? What are your hobbies?"

Theo furrowed his brow. "Well...I guess since I can't do a lot, cause' Mommy says I have an illness…"

Harry looked alarmed. "What do you mean? You look perfectly healthy to me!"

"No silly!" Rosie whispered. "His...sickness prevents him from doin' a lot!"

Harry frowned. "What do you mean, sickness?"

Theo suddenly grinned. "I know what my hobby is! Running around with Uncle Moony on full moons! It's really fun...even though the potion tastes terrible!"

Harry went white. "You..you mean you're a werewolf?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Flashback_

_Harry sat crying in a corner. He had just had a particularly hard Occlumency lesson with his father, and it had just brought back to many bad memories, despite the fact that he had left the Potters over a year ago. _

_Fenrir Greyback was walking through the halls when he heard the whimpering of a young cub. His wolf senses went on high alert, and he quickly ran over to where the boy was hiding. There sat Hadrian Riddle, who was his master's son. Fenrir had never personally met the boy, but for some reason, his inner wolf accepted the boy as part of his pack. That was odd. _

_Harry looked up to see a wolfish face, looking worried. His eyes, while kind seemed to hold some sadistic element in them. But Harry wasn't scared. He sniffled and suddenly two strong arms encircled him and started to rock him back and forth. _

_Fenrir was surprised when he reacted in such a way. But nevertheless, he soothed the young boy. _

_Finally Harry stopped crying. "Um..Sir, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell my father. It's just that...Well I just relived one of my worst memories. I shouldn't be crying, but it was just too much for me." _

_Fenrir chuckled. "It's alright cub." _

_Harry froze. "Wha-what did you say?" _

_Fenrir looked confused. "Er...I said that's alright cub… I'm sorry it's just a natural thing that I say when I see a child. It's my inner wolf you see. I'm a werewolf. Why?" _

_Harry unfroze and shook his head. "It just reminded me of someone I used to know. Never mind. I..I better be going. Thanks." He said sincerely._

"_Wait a second," Fenrir called. "If you don't mind me asking, what was that memory?" _

_Harry paused. "Well..It was a memory of my father and mother taunting me….basically they were saying that I didn't deserve the Potter name, because I fell of my broom after my brother Albus slammed into me...and then pushed me off my broom. I broke two bones, half my ribcage and fractured my knee cap, but they just let me stay there in pain, and taunted me! They just taunted me! Then when I cried out when my dad tried to pull me up by my broken arm, he...he slapped me, let me fall to the ground, and then kicked me. My mother...actually tried to help me, but he managed to persuade her to leave me there. It was the middle of November and they left me out there all night. If I hadn't done some accidental magic that made a small warming charm, I would have frozen." Harry stated grimly. _

_Fenrir snarled. How dare they do that! "I...I will get them for this cub. You know, as a werewolf, I can make their lives VERY miserable" He stated slyly. _

_Harry's eyes lit up at the thought of Albus being a werewolf, or James. "I...It would ruin their lives. Just not my mum though. She actually cared sometimes." _

_Fenrir grinned ferally. "They are going to pay cub." He promised. _

_Harry was uncomfortable with the idea, but he told himself it was the least they deserved. Fenrir came back after full moon and proudly told him he had bitten the youngest male. _

_End flashback. _

After that Harry and Fenrir had become quite good friends, with Harry calling Fenrir, 'Uncle Fen' and name that Fenrir had positively despised, but gone along with it jokingly. And although Harry hadn't known it then, he slowly realised that Fenrir reminded him of Padfoot, and Moony. Harry and Remus had been close, until he had been sent away on a secret mission by Dumbledore when Harry was 7. He had returned occasionally, but Harry hadn't seen him a lot when he needed him most.

Hoarsely he whispered. "Who..who bit you?"

Behind him a voice sounded, "Fenrir Greyback."

Harry spun around, and saw Remus Lupin, smiling sadly.

"Hey...hey Harry." He said shyly.

Harry's face split into a grin. "MOONY!" He cried, jumping up and giving him a bone-cracking hug.

"Uncle Moony!" Two identical voices called behind him.

Remus opened his arms as the twins ran into them, and swung them around using strength someone his age shouldn't have.

"Theo over here was bitten by Fenrir Greyback, only a year after you left. He was lucky to survive. Fenrir Greyback carved a scar-a message into his chest, and of course he became a werewolf. He has me though so it's not so bad." The werewolf said sadly.

Harry shivered. "What was this..message?" He said, the comment Fenrir had said 'I bit the youngest male' making much more sense suddenly.

Theo unbuttoned his shirt and proudly showed his scar to Harry. "It says: Suffer like he did. Mum and Dad couldn't make any sense of it, but they thought that maybe the werewolf meant his brother who was captured. Anyway, it's not to bad. It sure is painful transforming, but me, Moony and sometimes Dad have fun going in the forest. And when Albus becomes a...a...Animabus… He's going to come as well!" Theo said excitedly.

Harry smiled at Theo's pronunciation of Animagus. "I'm an Animagus." Harry said softly, remembering Sirius reaction to his form.

Theo and Rosie jumped up and down. "SHOW US!" They pleaded.

Harry grinned, and soon a gold-white streaked grim with warm emerald eyes was playing with them. They squealed when Harry allowed them to get on his back. Being a grim, he was much bigger and stronger then a lot of dogs, about the size of a small pony. Harry pranced around, romping around with them. Soon, another huge black Grim joined the rough-housing, and soon even Remus couldn't help it. Sirius, were having so much fun, they didn't notice James and Lily step out of the house and smile fondly at them.

Harry froze when he saw Lily and James watching him, and abruptly transformed into a human again.

James approached the now quiet mess of people and grinned. "Mind if I join in?" He asked shyly.

Sirius barked and wagged his tail, and James taking this as an invitation, transformed into his signature stag. Harry, sat off to the side, but the natural marauder side came out in him, and soon, he was back in there, tussling around with the rest of the marauders. Rosie sat out eventually, as she didn't have the werewolf strength or resilience that Remus and Theo had.

Lily laughed and went and sat by her daughter.

Albus came out, and looked at the tussling bunch. He went over and squeezed his eyes shut, and transformed into a…..

James transformed and stared at Albus. "You have got to be kidding me."

Rosie and Theo started laughing, and Sirius and Harry just stared at each other, and then back at Albus. Remus was trying his best not to laugh.

Albus was a ferret.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well, you know what they say! Animagi represent your inner animal! And Albus is a….FERRET!" Sirius said later to a blushing Albus.

Harry grinned, and then chuckled. "Gosh, Draco always told me that you always teased him about being transformed into a ferret in his fourth year. Better not let this news get back to him."

The room went strangely quiet and Harry realised what he had said. First, he had actually

been open and friendly with Albus, James and Lily around and…

"You're friends with...MALFOY?" Albus said in a strangled voice.

Harry's expression turned stony. "Yeah, he's like a BROTHER to me. Sure he can be a little arrogant at times, but he never ever has been a prat or….betrayed me." Harry smiled internally as Albus started to look uncomfortable.

Lily cleared her throat. "Um, Harry why don't you join us for lunch?"

Harry went hostile again. "No. I thought we were playing Quidditch." He said bluntly.

Albus hurried over to the fire, and called out into it, "C'mon Ron!"

It had been agreed ahead of time that nobody would know Harry's true identity for several reasons. Many of Albus's friend's families had been targets of the Dark Lord, and although nobody knew it was Harry, the Silver Mask, Harry's alter-ego in a way. They agreed that Harry would be introduced as a cousin, Evan Potter. Only the Weasley's knew Harry's true identity.

Soon, 4 gangly haired youths stepped out of the fireplace, and a red-headed girl followed close behind. A black haired boy came right after them.

They straightened into a line, nervously looking at Harry.

"Hmm." Albus cleared his throat. "Well, this is Percy," He said, gesturing towards the tallest red head, with brown eyes and a severe atmosphere around him."Fred, George," He continued, gesturing to the two twins, who had a more darker red colored hair, and bright green eyes, "Ron," Ron waved, and Harry grinned as he recognized the blue-eyed redhead, "And Ginny." The fire-headed girl blushed at Harry, and waved shyly.

"This is Dean," Albus said distractedly gesturing to the black-haired boy "And Seamus should be…" A curly-brown headed boy with a merry disposition about him tumbled out of the fireplace coughing.

"Sorry mates. Got caught when me Dad caught me rummaging through his beer cupboard. Got what you wanted though Albus. The beer, the vodka the-" Seamus suddenly froze when he realised who was in the room.

Lily raised her eyebrows. Seamus blushed. "Hi Mrs. Potter, Mr. Potter! Fancy seeing you here! I was just saying that I got the.. oh never mind" He muttered.

"Smooth Seamus, real smooth." Albus muttered.

James grinned. "I didn't hear anything." He said, Lily sighing and whacking him on the arm exasperatedly.

She gave them a stern look. "No vodka in my house. Mr. Finnigan."

Seamus gave her a confused look. "What vodka Mrs. Potter?" He grinned.

Albus rolled his eyes. "Ok, that's all for now, Terry's coming later, Ernie couldn't make it, but Justin's coming over for dinner. I think that Ced might be coming. "

Harry stared. "Cedric? Cedric Diggory?"

"Yeah, Hogwarts Triwizard tournament winner."

Harry remembered that year. His father had been debating whether or not to have the fake Moody plant Albus's name in the Goblet, just to give everyone a scare and to kill off Albus. But he had decided against it when he realised that this might just fuel the wizard population's hate for him.

"He's one of my friends, and although he graduated a few years ago, he still likes to play Quidditch with us. Perce, Fred and George also come along whenever they can. It's kinda like a tradition with us."

"Oh."

"Well, everyone this is Har-Evan. Evan Potter. He's my cousin and he's going to be joining us today."

Seamus laughed. "Hey, hey wasn't you're mum's last name Evans? How 'bout that huh?"

Everyone looked at each other exasperatedly. Albus snorted. "Really?"

Lily hurried back to the kitchen saying, "Now, none of you boys get into trouble ok? I don't want to use any of the Skele-grow bottles James." She added sternly.

James cast an evil grin at the group. "Of course not." He said sinisterly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When everyone was there, people started dividing into teams.

"Alright, so for the best team on the pitch cause you have me as a captain….." James started

"Oi!" Albus said who was the other team captain.

"Anyway, for the beaters it's Fred and George, for the Keeper it's Remus, for the Chaser's we've got Sirius, me, and Ron, and as seeker we have Harr- I mean Evan. " James stated. "And we are called the…..RED-MARAUDERS!" He cried.

Harry scowled at being stuck on Jamesteam. What a lame name as well. He had been rooting for the Black Skull, but noooo.

"And on my team we have me as Seeker, Ginny, Dean, and Seamus as chasers, Terry as keeper, and Ced and Percy as beaters. Oliver is the ref, as he busted his knee-cap up during practice last week. And we are called….THE TWISTED FALCONS! "

Oliver blew his whistle, and they were off.

Harry flew around the pitch at top speed, as he found that when everything was in blurs, he could see the snitch better, as it usually kept the same speed as he was going, therefore not mixing into a blur but being a solid shape that Harry could see. Albus was up high, scanning the field.

"And Black scores! 10-0 for the Red-Marauders!" Lily said who was the commentator.

Harry zoomed around the field, and then spotted the snitch. He decided not to get the snitch now though, because the game had only just begun. The snitch floated away, and Harry floated up to glare at Albus who was on the other side of the pitch. Albus zoomed closer and said, "No hard-feelings, ok Evan? I've improved a lot, and could be playing for United-Puddlemere next year if I wanted to. I doubt where you come from, you hardly had anytime at all." He chuckled and flew off to the other side. Harry glared at him.

"Just you wait." He muttered.

"And, Finnigan scores...30-40 for the Twisted Falcons!" Came the commentator.

Harry heard a thud, and saw Sirius narrowly avoid a bludger hit by Percy. The bludger continued to zoom towards the platform, and Lily, oblivious to what was happening didn't see the bludger coming closer, and closer and….

Harry raced towards the bludger, and with a mighty 'thwack!" he hit it back towards the opposing team with his tail broom. Harry had been practicing this move for ages, as bludgers seem to come at him like magnets. Lily stared at him, mouth wide open.

"Y..you..just saved my life and…." Lily looked at him amazed.

"It..It was going to hit the twins as well. I wouldn't have minded if it had hit you." Harry said snidely. He couldn't forgive. They were lying, Harry reminded himself.

He zoomed off again. Then his heart gave an almighty dip. Albus was speeding towards the ground, a triumphant look on his face. Harry snarled, and used a new technique he had found. He rode the broom like a surf-board. This for some reason, made the broom go faster, and within seconds, he had reached Albus. Harry jumped back on his broom the correct way, and zoomed neck to neck with Albus towards the ground. 5 feet, 4 feet, 3 feet, Albus stretched his arm out, the snitch leveled with the ground and continued it's path, 2 feet...Albus leveled out and zoomed upwards, but Harry waited, 1 foot….Harry brought his broom up, jumped off it, up into the air, pushing off the ground as he made impact...And landed on his broom as it leveled out with the ground and zoomed after the snitch. He felt like punching the air with his fist. This had been a move he had been practicing for quite some time, and had resulted in a lot of broken bones. There was so much timing to it, Harry wasn't sure if he could do it on a broom that wasn't his.

The snitch led him on a wild goose chase, and Harry could sense Albus behind him. Harry had the lead though, but the snitch wasn't giving up so easily. Harry looked behind him, to see Albus a meter away, with a look of surprise on his face. Harry laughed, and went up, and up, and up. The air got colder, and Harry couldn't see the pitch anymore. Finally, the little snitch leveled out, and Harry reached out his arm. He grabbed the snitch, and yelled out in joy, only to falter, and stare in front of him. His worst fear was here.

Dementors.

Harry choked. He spoke in a low voice. "You know me. My father controls you. Do NOT come any closer." Still, the dementors closed in. Harry started to feel some panic. He was frozen to his broom, his worst memories coming back.

"_It's him! Take Albus and Harry! I'll hold him off!" _

"_YOU ARE NO SON OF MINE!" _

"_You aren't a Potter."_

" _Siri! PADDIE! NO, Daddy please! Please don't…" James slapped Harry, and threw him against the wall. _

"_You hear me Harry? YOU HEAR ME? If I ever, ever see you contacting that...bastard again, you will pay. I swear, Harry, you WILL PAY!" _

"_Get Lilypad. Give her to Albus." _

"_LILYPAD!" _

"_This dog doesn't deserve to belong to you. You are nothing. You are dirt." _

Harry gasped, and urged his broom to go downwards…"ARGHHH!" Harry screamed out in pain, his eyes widening. And a whole flush of memories came into his brain.

"_Put this in the Potter's drink, Wormtail. It will make them have negative feelings towards Harry Potter." _

"No!" Harry howled. His father had betrayed him.

" _You listen to me, Potter. You WILL obey me. You will forget what you have seen here." Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry, who was frozen against the wall, looking at the bodies behind Voldemort. Harry looked at one women, who had her mouth wide open, and eyes full of fear. And she was dead. _

"_What have you done Father? What is this?" _

"_Hah! You honestly thought I cared about you? No, you are only a tool, worthless, nothing more than your brother or anyone else for that matter." _

"_Father…" Harry cried, as Voldemort smirked. _

"_You've seen too much. Obliviate!" _

Harry howled, plummeting downward, the snitch clenched in his hand. He was free-falling through the clouds…..

"_Nev!" Harry screamed as his brother was put under the cruciatus by their 'father'. _

"_SILENCIO! You are next, Potter. You directly disobeyed me. You shall pay! CRUCIO!" Voldemort screamed, turning his wand on Harry. _

"_Father….stop please! I just wanted to see the woods...please! No please!" _

"_Obliviate!" _

Harry had tears streaming out of his eyes as thousands upon thousands of memories rushed back, only cementing the betrayal his father had made.

"_Harry...don't cry..shhh….." Voldemort said, giving the boy a hug. "What is it son?" _

_Harry had only arrived a few days ago, but after coming near a dementor, he had experienced some terrible memories. _

"_They hate me! Why?" Harry hiccuped. _

"_I..I don't know. You didn't deserve to be treated like that. Come, do you want to play some Quidditch?" _

"_Yes Dad." _

_Voldemort looked surprised at the name his 'son' had given him. _

_They spent the afternoon with Neville, laughing and playing, when suddenly a shrill scream was heard. _

"_No...please, no! My daughter please! She's only a child...NOOO!" _

_A women dressed in tatters was dragged out onto the Quidditch pitch, a small girl following close behind. They were being levitated, and the girl was obviously under some type of torture spell. _

_Harry gasped and zoomed down, plucked the girl out of the air and laid her on the grass, the spell broken. He immediately began to soothe the crying 9 year old. He glared at the Death Eaters. _

"_You cruel, cruel idiots! Who do you think you are? Hurting an innocent child like that?" _

"_Er...she was necessary for the ritual. You know, the one that makes your...er father immortal?" _

"_And what does this ritual do?" Harry asked in a dangerously low voice. _

"_Well, the participants die...but give their life source and magic to the master of the ritual, the one who is conducting it. This one has very high magic levels. Her name's...Luna. Luna Lovegood. And I believe that you are a participant as we-" The man was cut of by a beam of green light. _

_Voldemort stormed over. _

"_Is...that true Father?" Harry whispered, eyes full of tears. _

"_Yes. OBLIVIATE!" _

Harry gasped, the Quidditch field coming closer, and the truth behind his feelings for the Potters came as well.

"_Crucio!" Voldemort smiled cruelly as the small 5 year old twisted in front of him. _

"_Peter?" Voldemort called. _

_The rat scurried in. "Yes my lord?" _

"_Bring the brat back to the Potters. I have tortured him enough. He shall remember this, but that the Potters did it. Hah!" _

_The small 5 year old looked defiantly up at the cruel man. "I won't forget. I shall make you pay! My parents care about me, as you just revealed! THEY CARE!" He screamed as a white light sped towards him. _

Harry watched the ground get closer and closer, barely caring anymore if he lived or died.

"_And you, my son, shall be tied to me with your life and magic. The only thing that will set you free is…" Voldemort paused and thought. _

"_If you learn to love your family again." _

Harry hit the ground with a sickening crack.

The snitch exploded, shards flying everywhere, leaving only the tiny broken wings, and the charmed gears.

Just like the snitch, Harry was broken, inside and out.

**Hope you all liked the chapter! If you think there still should be some sibling rivalry between Albus and Harry, please comment! **

**Next chapter should be up by….Monday? **


End file.
